slip between the grating of my
ribs, inside the pink jacket to
clasp my heart just so, as you
would a cicada’s glass husk,
its flutter iron on your tongue.
squeeze your fingers deep in
every fold and cleft,
feel its thunder press on your
every whorl and line,
and leave the negative print
to develop in the crimson
lifelong
dark.

(Editors’ Note: “cardioid” is read by Stephanie Malia Morris on the Uncanny Magazine Podcast Episode 25A.)

© 2018 Hal Y. Zhang