She could
wear the false jewelry matter of fact
she’d prefer tape it to the body.
This is surgery.
Surgery is more important than fitting in things that don’t fit
like fancy old dresses or shoes
so she’d handle Mamaw’s surgeries in a toy room with a trophy case.
The surgeries were mostly brain, heart, sometimes a limb.
Rhinestone sutures, letter opener
rows of fake pearls held in place by a bandage.
Buttons spilling out once in a while
when somebody moved.
It is important not to move.
Do not disturb the stitches!
Try not to laugh.
But most importantly
do not move.