Heart Strings

There is no way to pin the heart down
on the bronze dissecting tray.

Her palm must hold it flat for the procedure.

She threads the needle
and looks for flesh strong enough to hold the stitch.
It is not a simple task:
avoiding the tough scar tissue
gelatinous weak spots
and old fishing line overgrown with bloody muscle.

A pinch, a push, a pull.

No way to tell if the gusher
is a rip
or a valve.

Only that it's now closed.