I Can Change

'I can change'

A change of heart

He holds his heart above his beating brow
and watches as it hovers,
Should hearts do that? he wonders

It flits and flutters, splits and splutters,
but he now knows
more than two cures for love.

He only needs one.
He rolls up his sleeves to fix his heart,
He knows the sole place to start:

He stems the fuss and stops the flow,
ties the heart-strings firm, in a knot,
And giggles as the memories clot.

He drowns it like a newborn – no tears
It whimpers and seethes,
then softens and soothes,

He picks a knife,
recalls his instruction,
makes the insertion.

He smiles, no threat of a grimace,
and fills the hole with molten iron,
He coats it hole, the ferrous thing.

He holds the heart, heavy above his brow
And beams proudly at the change,
It sleeps now; hardened, recast,
Newly immune to his breaking past.