Our bones the bars

I bought Legos for a child
With a hole in his heart
They were red, yellow, green, and blue
In varying sizes
So that he could interlock them
To his desire
Before gingerly aligning the nubs
And pressing gently
Into his chest
I’d whispered words
As I packed them
Wrapping them in brown paper
Tearing tape with my teeth
Writing his address
In thick black marker
I willed cold plastic
To warm flesh
To carry blood
To pump
Pump
Pump
His little life through him
For as long as he wished it
And not one day more
For our bodies
No matter their composition
Exhaust themselves
Before our minds
Our skin a prison
Our bones the bars