Anatomical Copyright

Ellen Harrold

Skin embroidery and photograph by Amber at Ambroidering on Etsy. Used with permission.

Confounded artery sets descent to action,
termite lines in our own
foundation emptied and collapsing under,
Exsanguinated pressure!
Oh, do oxygen bubbles sew themselves
through those anatomic caverns we laced
through our system,
Our network of cells.
Is that blood still mine in the hospital lab?
On a tea towel? Down the shower drain?
Left to rot on oxidised iron as steel carves
gently through my bruised epidermis
and no bleeds out of possibility.

📜🫀