My Smallpox Vaccination Scar

It’s the size of a dress shirt button.
It’s round and dimpled like a pond
with rain falling. Sharp points
fixed to a metal disc
kissed the skin of my upper arm
the way that raindrops kiss water
and merge with it, make it
bigger. Dead bits of virus
merged with me, taught my body
how they look and smell. The way
raindrops teach a pond about
the sky, the clouds, bring scent
and flavor from distant seas.

Books Available
The Day of My First Driving Lesson
Country Well-Known as an Old Nightmare's Stable
High-Voltage Lines
Knocking from Inside