The absent heartbeat
Kicks the alarm, shrieks
You sprint, slap the switch
Charging
Blue lights spin like roulette
Brace Brace Brace
Clear
The man jumps
Twitches, collapses
Flatline
Charge again
Shock anew
This jump’s higher
A pulse
The wavy line flattens
He’s still dead
Confessor? Assessor? Professor?
If he wakes we’ll see if he knows
Third time round odds are down
I just shock ‘em, fate sorts them
Or God, they say
Jolt number three
One, two, four, a burst
Electric life staggers up
We’ve got a heart
When it’s time to die
Humans can’t wait
When your heart’s a machine
You just keep going