happening

In mid-sentence I realized with mounting horror
My heart was about to leap from my throat
To land in your lap, bounce,
And roll across the dusty wood floor.

I fumbled with words, aghast, as you fought the urge to laugh
We stared at it, speckled with wood chips and dog hair
Pulsing in the corner, waiting
For me to say the right thing.

It had rolled right into the only sunbeam in the room
The veins and arteries so brilliantly blue
It beat at me, it beat at you
So naked and vulnerable.

I wished vehemently, out loud, to be anywhere but there
My embarrassment flooding my cheeks
I felt the need to pee, urgent need to pee
And stood up slowly.

You stood up faster and swiftly cornered the heart
There was no need, it didn�t fight you
From your pocket came forth a soft cloth
Wrapped the precious, vital package.

I paused in mid-step, to see what you would do with it
It still beat in your palm, a small animal
�I�ll put it here, for safe keeping,� you smiled
And tucked it into your back pocket.

That night as I lay down to sleep I wondered at the happening
Felt the emptiness in my chest as I breathed in and out
And as I dozed off I thought, blissfully,
�Ah, what a relief.�