works by william pham, 2005-present

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HE BENDS THE KNEE FOR NO MAN

The heart is a muscle to be mastered and brought to heel
just like any other, just like any other.

A flexing of the heart is the shrugging off
of a relationship the same
as a sperm whale disregards a sleeping shark.

And if the heart should fail its master
then there is a bandage, there is a gauze,
a brace until it sews itself and all its wounds together,
bound in blue and purple, and the heart,
it should only lack for air.

copyright (c) 2007 by william pham