Light 2
By: Jehangir Saleh
Written: September 30, 2005

If all the lamps in the house
Were turned out
You could dress this wound
By what shines from it
– Anne Carson

her lungs exhale light
breaking into the dark
womb of the bedroom
stopping at the black hole in your chest

she used the light
radiating from her organs
to grow buttercups in the kitchen
taught you to see
the cracks in everything
how the light slips through

she said the light comes from the wound of her heart
you sent her for an x-ray

she woke
while you were cutting below her breast
trying to find the source
she didn’t scream
bled into your hands
finally
it was dark
thought you’d get a nights sleep
until the warmth from the blood
became light

decided to
have her bleed
into a jar
to save
on flashlight batteries

if only you could see
how the light arranges these words
you would be able to understand them

you’ve been sleeping better –
the light from her lungs
touches your skin
and slowly
as if deciding
fades away