in the photo
the man is sprawled
a Chinese ideogram
spelling knife or beauty
sadness or forgiveness
potato or tongue
blood has splashed and run
down the grey wastebasket
there is a golden cast
to the scene
the daisies on the yellow
kitchen wall the ochre
dishwasher door
one hand is curled near
his turned away face
a cheek the delicate pink
of a girl’s blush when she
is caught at her first lie
his shoes are black, cheap
embarrassing
the blood a triangle
spread over his stomach
like a bandanna folded
across his lap to hold
a tuna fish or roast beef
sandwich on a picnic table
the knife an afterthought
bright shadow
insubstantial smear
on a white t-shirt scrawled
with slogans
half words hidden
in the folds
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