A Little Opening

Holly Day

Yesterday,
I woke to find the skin of my hand
had slipped off the bones and pooled
beside my head. My feet
are all bone now as well
one hard, yellow knob of a kneecap exposed.

I have begun painting my skeleton
color-coding the days as each piece
is laid bare. My right foot is blue. My left foot
and kneecap are both red for Tuesday.
My hand and part of my jawbone
are emerald green.

I am saving the discarded flesh
to make into a dress, something for only
special occasions. The individual strips
are stretched out on a wire rack
in my refrigerator, where the milk
and the juice
used to go.

The 2River View, 2_2 (Winter 1998)