Takotsubo Syndrome
the echocardiogram
does make a sound
but you can't hear it
in the deep sea
a hard shell will save you
except from the octopus
if you will not break
they will drill you a tiny hole
soften you with a poison
examine the shells you've found
along the shore: not every one
but any one will have such holes
have you ever lost to love?
an echo detects the change
your broken heart assumes the shape
of takotsubo:
the old ceramic traps
crafted and lowered by human hands
for catching octopus
no bait is required
no noose to tighten, they
just climb inside
believing their bodies
must be made for these curious places
suspended and utterly held
it is possible to live like this
with your bloated ventricle left wondering
could it be fatal?
© Brendan Bonsack
July 2022