PERICARDIUM (belated Valentines Prayer)

• In my old age let me study
• the great vessels 
• the Venus drainage
• the functions which prevent 
• the heart from overflowing 
• the wise tension of that
• which is flexible 
• but does not stretch beyond 
• let me eat barley, scallions
• take bruises as signals 
• and impact as impacting 
• tally the events which sent 
• my heart blood to 
• my face, stomach
• pounding at receipt 
• even grocery store roses 
• wrapped in loud plastic
• eyes and skin changing color 
• to prove the 
• world