Hollow

From the collection of “Bodily Observations”

hol·low 

/ˈhälō/ 

adjective  

 

dilated eye, 

stomach, a promise  

vomited on the kitchen floor, 

bottle, skull between the ears.  

 

verb 

 

smoky chamber, brass shell,  

thoracic cavity  

pinned beneath the stone porch. 

a light, red, then blue, then red, 

face, planted like a seed, 

steel and cinderblock cell. 

 

noun 

 

lingering thought, 

crocodile tears, 

parting word, syringe,  

a hole, six feet below the crust.