nerve-root
cord in the tunnel
from mind to the far
extremities
the flesh tendrils
how they transit & exit
with more truth
than they can carry
the neurons
like crowds
in the capital
buzzing in distress
long dendrites
bristling with
pain we
have never dreamed of
in this our shattered
body politic
here is the knife
to cut open
flesh and grind back
bony facets
pick out the debris
with tweezers
and as there is no other way
we feel almost
happy as we
count backwards
going under