permeable
ovenbird
My
body
is
a
permeable cage.
I
can
’t
get
out
but
things
can
get
in
and
I
have
little
control
over
their
intentions
.
Dust
and
pollen
collect
in
the
crevices
of
my
lungs
. Viruses
make
a
gateway
of
my
eyes
.
Words
that
clutch
knives
behind
their
backs
sneak
in
through
the
open
door
of
my
ear
canal.
Just
recently
a
nefarious bacteria
found
a
warm
,
damp
home
in
the
pocket
between
the
nail
and
cuticle
of
my
left
thumb
and
got
busy
reproducing.
My
body
’s armies attacked resulting
in
blood
and
pus
and
inflammation.
I
sent
weapons
in
the
form
of
polysporin
and
band
-aids
but
we
were
losing
the
war
.
Last
night
I
woke
up
at
4
a
.m.
to
an
agonizing
heat
spreading
outward
from
the
infection
.
The
soft
brush
of
flannel
sheets
against
invaded
flesh
was
enough
to
trigger
throbbing
pain
and
a
seeping
fear
began
to
bloom
in
my
chest
as
I
imagined
a
prolonged
and
terrible
death
by
sepsis.
Now
,
after
a
trip
to
see
my
doctor
,
I
am
equipped
with
much
stronger
antibiotics
and
I
’m soaking
my
thumb
in
warm
salty
water
in
an
attempt
to
draw
what
wants
to
kill
me
to
the
surface
.
So
many
things
grow
in
the
alien
ecosystems
of
my
living
flesh
so
why
,
I
wonder
,
do
I
feel
so
desperately
alone
in
the
confines
of
my
skin
?
260211
what's it to you?
who
go
blather
from
