step one is inserting the key
in the back
and having someone wind you up
every goddamned day
tighten that spring
so you have enough energy
to make it
until the next wind up
i don’t know who designed us
to have these holes
in our backs
when the holes are in our hearts
and when will the key fit into my chest
so i can wind it myself
or not
Words and Feathers 
A wind-up tin toy, huh? I like that metaphor better than the dull puppets that are overused in poetry. Creative play — nice imagery!
Thank you!
The last 3 stanzas of this piece are such a powerful rendering of thoughts ….. and they really play so well off the beginning, the idea of being like toys, wound up – which can be interpreted in many ways …. this really is striking ….. and I particularly love the way you’ve chosen to take back the “power key” at the end …. and leaving it open ended …. as in, resting that the choice should be yours and yours alone.
Really striking imagery here.
Thank you!
“when the holes are in our hearts” Such a simple truth and very powerful the way you’ve written it.
Thank you so much.
Feels angry and I like it!
There was some of that.