semi-detached

yesterday a welding flash then sparklers on vision’s
edge. now eyemedics are reattaching my retina
the damascan road ahead is all clear
my traffic lights say go!


hot needle laser twinges spotwelding the retina
back to its dark anchor
greenflash-dazzled to temporary blindness
to avert a more permanent one later


a dull ache in an unfamiliar place
a neverbeforefelt frontbrain pain
tears streaming. willing myself not to flinch
from the hot light or vision’s precious gift


a mirrored lens to force open my
kubrick unblinking clockwork-orange eyes
surrendering Eyes Wide Open to the pain of a
dentist’s drill hitting a nerve in the wrong organ


black background to my orb
flash of vertical white
green LEDs perfect
phosphorescent fairy ring


tears flowing i am tenuously
anchored to vision
the mind drags up words and images
antony and the crying light*





through subsequent days every swelling
garden nexus grabs my mind’s eye –
stem of pear, the joint of sunflower head
to stalk all hint at potential loss of sight


this gossamer link. in a state of perpetual
angst. am i losing my optic nerve?

i am losing all objectivity.
i cannot remain detached.




Rob Walker


[note: *”antony and the crying light” refers to Her Eyes Are Underneath the Ground from the album The Crying Light by Antony and the Johnsons, 2009.]

First published in 21D Magazine, Issue 4 ‘Light’, 2013
ISSN 1838-6512