Heart Wounds

               Heart Wounds

The lizard leaves its tail trapped in the cat’s

Teeth, flopping against a puzzled whisker.

The green chameleon starts a new length.  That’s

That.  The starfish posture is much brisker:

It can build back even one whole star flare.

If gripped, the creature just breaks off the bit

That’s being crunched.  The starfish doesn’t care.

If munched in half, it evinces true grit

And makes itself full again from the heart.

If someone breaks your atrium, you don’t

Have to go away crippled.  You can start

Again.  You fear it will be maimed. It won’t.

..It doesn’t have to be lizardy or starred.

….You can stretch it completely new, unscarred.