I want to throw my body
in front of your body
as the word explodes
from the doctor’s lips,
flies across an anonymous desk
past photos of wife and child in wooden frames
in a small room with lowered shades.
I want to hold that burning
ball of lead captive in my flesh.
But I’m not there, I’m here
sweating in my car, a hot cell-
phone clutched in my hand, seeing
in slow motion, over and over,
the word carve a searing tunnel
through your breast bone,
the tension in your face
wobble, then shatter,
the word lodging at the center
of your life.
Originally from the Bay Area, Rodoni lives in San Diego and is currently pursuing
her MFA in Poetry at San Diego State University. Her work has appeared in the San
Diego Poetry Annual.
She is also the proud mama of a brand new baby girl.