The Game Stake

birds of prey gather round my belly knot

their sharp beak pushes upwards amongst ribs

I’m like a sparrow with torn wings

a kite seized my heart and threw it away 

neighbor’s children cry out

names of the games from my infancy

head or tails

my heart swirls like a spintop

it can’t stay still recto or verso

 

I remember how it was in the beginning

stretching a thin paper over the coin

sharpening chemical pencils upon it

until the head appeared

taking copper pieces soaking them in spittle

sticking them to my front

placing a coin on my notebook

drawing circles around

rolling coins like wheels until they capsized down

raising small towers until they collapsed

all these games were costing less than a dime

 

my chest is cold

a round stethoscope presses over my heart

beneath it a wing struggles to fly

head or tails

I wonder what’s the price this time