the tips of my fingers were aligned
and the ceramic beneath my feet didn't waver
but my breath was short and my chest constricted
as blood blossomed from that place where the arrow struck.

it wasn't for lack of trying
my educated mind told me to stop the bleeding
but i have to wonder how you would go about
holding your heart above itself
my calculations were somewhat off.

i know that arrow wasn't poisoned
it was no threat to the composition of my blood stream
there were no atoms of lead nestled between the hemoglobin and hormones
which calmly took another route to work,
rubbernecking as they went.