My doctor today said my blood pressure is a bit high
to which I say how could it not be?
The vine which has been growing from my intestines
is crushing my chest with a bowline knot around my heart
clogging the well which used to send a river to my dry achy eyes
while thorns and worms wrap round
the hyoglossus of my throat
suppressing my tongue so nothing can escape
no words
and definitely not a scream
definitely not a cry or a shriek or
a shrill sharp edged syllable knife of stabbing pain
where my Adam's apple might have been if life were fair but
definitely not that
all systems are on lockdown
my soul even is trapped in this prison.
so my doctor
with her years of knowledge
and
papers
she says my blood pressure is up
as if this is news to me
with no response at all
I wonder at what point the vine will shoot straight up out of my head
breaking open my honeycomb skull
and then,
will the pressure be released?
3/3/2022
