carotid body paraganglioma

part of the 'cephalopod' series. i had a tumour. now it's gone.

carotid body paraganglioma

 

june. 2000.

i am a white contrast CT scan,

white-globule resting

between carotid arteries.

a fat koala balled

in a tree’s fork
(his words, not mine).

 

silver scalpels, rivers of cord,

clear plastic and a camera

reveal black viscera,

the unsuccessful embolism.

 

instead,

a sickle cut and hack.

a fortnight later

golden staph

golden hallucinations,

i took home aspirin,

nerve-damage, MRI scans,

body-holes.

a violence of loss.

 

i wore scarves

to hide the scar.

in summer

i said,

‘sharks,

sharks got me.’