The Ekphrastic Review
  • The Ekphrastic Review
  • The Ekphrastic Challenges
    • Challenge Archives
  • Ebooks
  • Prizes
  • Book Shelf
    • TERcets Podcast
  • The Ekphrastic Academy
  • Give
  • Submit
  • Contact
  • About/Masthead

Guild of Surgeons, by Jennifer Sanders

1/25/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp, by Rembrandt van Rijn (Netherlands). 1632.
 
Guild of Surgeons
Amsterdam
 
as I–
the once student under your charge--
lift an errant curl of your wig
puffing powder off your lab coat, the white
dust trembles on the black lapel, I
unbutton,
furtively glance--
closed eyes?                yes
continue peeling back
the ironed shirt,
the undershirt,
find the still-warm sternum, pause
 
I must enact, as you trained,
a proper firmness on the razor as it licks
apart your warm flesh, the way it gaps
into little mouths as it glides
gently
God’s plague drips on the floor.
I catch the miracle in a paper towel,
begin the crossing mark to realize
the ribcage bastion
I will find her inside you
 
with the steel I summon this reward,
hover the hammer head below your clavicle                                                                
upon the door I
knock
quickly,
precisely,
breaking only the necessary, the
bits like teeth I tumble into the arms
of sterile stainless platter
a feast for the cemetery worms.                                  
 
and we meet
shimmering in the anointing of your veil,
the torn aorta frothing the inkwell for the contract,
creaming the seal, warm like wax, dripping
 
my love, hidden in the cleft of marrow
a wedding of rescue, I
snip, cleave you from your father
 
how beautiful you are,
outside the human frame
Yes.
I understand his passion, now
I understand.

Jennifer Sanders

Jennifer Sanders is a musician, artist, and unknown poet living in Northfield, Minnesota with her husband and 16 month-old son. By day, she labours as a Spanish elementary teacher, and by night, an unknown poet. Her chapbook collection received distinction from St. Olaf College in 2013.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    The Ekphrastic Review
    Picture
    Current Prompt
    Picture
    COOKIES/PRIVACY

    This website uses marketing and tracking technologies. Opting out of this will opt you out of all cookies, except for those needed to run the website. Note that some products may not work as well without tracking cookies.

    Opt Out of Cookies
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Join us: Facebook and Bluesky
    @ekphrasticreview.



    ​
    ​Archives
    ​

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015

    Lorette C. Luzajic [email protected] 

  • The Ekphrastic Review
  • The Ekphrastic Challenges
    • Challenge Archives
  • Ebooks
  • Prizes
  • Book Shelf
    • TERcets Podcast
  • The Ekphrastic Academy
  • Give
  • Submit
  • Contact
  • About/Masthead