Zach Hannah: “A Body Tries to Tell the Truth”

A Body Tries to Tell the Truth

A boy walks into a surgery.
Fires used to eat medical records.
Doctors used to lie.
I’m staring at birth certificate.
It is a forgery.
The State can lie.
A boy declines a surgery,
prays for less of himself instead.
A man wishes his body was a forgery,
blames the boy.
Fire is how the present lies.
A boy wishes to wear fire to school,
settles for shame.
A man requests medical records,
is given an apology on behalf of fire.
The State does not apologize.
A boy wakes up during surgery,
is anointed with lightning.
A boy remembers more than is recounted.
I’m staring at a birthmark
or a scar
or a correction.
It is a forgery of memory.
An apology can be a lie.
A man forgives the boy.
I’m staring at a surgery,
wishing fire could eat apologies.

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