A Foot

Intestines and their manila frill of fat

nestle cozily in a metal bowl

but a foot

can't be contained even by a tub;

jutting over the edge

the calf exposes its brutal ovoid slice

a foot

perhaps with purple gangrene

black-lipped ulcers

toes already missing

itches to hop off

a mutant bunny on the lam

a foot

could jerk its big toe to hitch a ride

or, impatient

stomp out of the operating room

anything to forget the fine crack of bone

from bone

but even if the foot flees the scene

the nonfoot remains

below the stump, below the wound

sealed by interrupted sutures

perfect blue knots teething a frozen smile

see, there it is

faux foot, doppelgänger foot,

ghost foot