my heart
is a hard boiled egg

the shell is damaged
from so many clumsy hands
mishandling it
cracked and battered

it is my fault

i chose the wrong hands
to entrust it to

every time it is returned
it is more and more
a caricature
of what it was

so i don’t pass it out
no more
burnt offering
no more
unwanted gift

the last time
i offered it
there was only
questions and denial
the time before that
it was used as a game piece
the time before that
it was left on the floor
of a now empty room

no one wanted it

besides

my heart
is a hard boiled egg

if you took the time
to remove the shell
i’m sure
you’d just find out
it is hollow

place under inch of cool water, bring to rolling boil and then lower heat medium high for six minutes, rinse with cold water, set to the side and never consider again