Maia Sauer
Risk
Watch what happens to the graph
Sure enough distorted waveform
Importance of unobstructed breath
Knee sweat polyester at risk
Of going tactical
Think I’m down for the cause
In the simulation
I’m tasked with going unresponsive
Can’t always trust the louder shouts
Now more than ever
Documentation is vital
Everyone here leaking
Dreams of hobby farms
I like holding not packing the hole
But I could be good
Though better dragged
As body in need
More resources required
Call the six footer boys
For heavy lifting and I’ll freak
The details excuse me cadet
Your nic pouch has fallen onto the patient
Vigilant means never let go until
What you see is what you wish you feared
Not dentures yes whole palate punched out like
We are paper dolls
And we must call them by their paper names
When we don’t know if they can hear us
Brain knows the waves cresting behind
The red barn gone brown in dusky salute
Maia Sauer is a Brooklyn-based writer and artist. Her poetry and essays appear in The Brooklyn Rail, Strange Hymnal, and elsewhere. She's an editor at Lullaby Machine, a magazine and digital lullaby library.