Triple Bypass
Your heart is a red rimmed succulent
a plated, most spirited organ of glisten
sliced into and clock-stopped
broad opened cage of our breastbone
beaten by pump, a machine
bedazzle red lustre – o – blood
ferried from chamber to reservoir
arteries glued so familiar
clogged lanes of our bygones
sluice is fresh spliced
ribcage sealed and raw swelled
wake up
say my name
Kelly DuMar is a poet, playwright and workshop facilitator from Boston. She’s author of three poetry chapbooks, girl in tree bark (Nixes Mate, 2019), Tree of the Apple, (Two of Cups Press), and All These Cures, (Lit House Press). Her poems, prose and photos are published in many literary journals including Bellevue Literary Review, Tupelo Quarterly, Crab Fat, Storm Cellar, Corium & Tiferet. Kelly serves on the Board of the International Women’s Writing Guild (IWWG), and produces the Bi-Monthly Open Mic Writer Series attended by women worldwide. She blogs her daily nature photos & creative writing at kellydumar.com/blog
Art: "Heartbeat" by Sandy Coomer - 8X8, acrylic pour on claybord
Statement: This is the heart in its chamber, tucked into its holy space between the lungs, within the ribs. From there, it rules the body's rhythms.