Shy-Pam waxes melodramatic,

or, on how exhausting it is for me to constantly hold myself open to people/the world:

Remember the day before
I left? I told you I was nervous but
what I meant was: help,
my sternum's been cracked open. Though,
[they said] this will hurt less than two
holes under your breasts, though [they
[promised] here, can't you breathe better
now?

Later, the clamp got stuck [though, etc.] Self-
locking [they said], stainless steel. Sterilized, no
fever, don't
concern yourself, [they said] though the streets are
dirty here and, I don't know,
the swine flu? No wires sewing me together, chest
spread-eagled - I can't breathe better now, I
can't breathe now, I
can't.