Raw

Raw
by Eric Machan Howd

The heart
is always
tender,

always rare;
it breaks
and heals,

breaks
and heals,
becoming

tougher
with each
beating.

Why
protect
it?

behind rib
cage
and cartilage?

Why toughen
outward
demeanor

to hide
inward
pain? Pretend?

Why not
eat the
heart

as the
Inuits do?
Use ulu knife

to free
muscle
from chest,

bite into hot,
iron-tinged
gushing flesh,

roll our eyes
into head,
as sharks do,

wild ecstasy,
wild orgasm,
to bring

everything
back to blood,
to survival.