patella, driven into
carotid, crushing
thyroid cartilage against
gravelly pavement;
damaged ventricle supplied by
twice-replaced coronaries
pumps against a growing gradient;
lungs, soaked in sorrow and fear,
drenched in backup fluid,
borders reddening in blood
and blurring in presyncope,
where is mama,
what am i doing wrong,
let me breathe