Simon Smith

before you were born the same
silent blindness
atomization of molecules

BRAF induces high levels of cell proliferation
death draws a blank 			draws you into
the stopped		the blank material 			escape transition into

where are you in darkness		Eurydice Virgil ahead the disappeared
to be gone in a moment with Berrigan        down the manhole with Sydney
Ovid’s infinite exile		his final ’Tristia’

			not knowing you wait for us gone	on ahead unknowingly unknowing

metamorphosis VEBRAF induces cell proliferation in tumour progression
alters cell shape and motility					silent invisible shape-shifter
unknowing too late for the inhibitors or reversal & trek back along the path

the stopped stopped blank darkness			hanging from one
cell out of control formed in broad daylight, the BRAF, chromosome 7
Ann-Marie smiling through the action & reaction cell by cell

Stage 4 spreading like a tree
branches through the body
deep in the code		through the blood		or lymphatic system

BRAF cell-deep
in your smile as you eat & sleep
walk

V600EBRAF has 700-fold greater kinase activity than WTBRAF
If you want a reason there is no other reason
this is why it happens 	the cells’ accelerated psychosis of the body

where you disappear the double
helix doubling back into photographs	the sound recordings
fragments of 					memory held		between those left

deep in the code Ann-Marie
body reduced to light			Being tipped
into intimate solitude

illuminated cell by cell
into green translucency
& how to console your cells

enzyme to enzyme
speaking through the cells accelerated
in your smile change & renewal 			flips a switch/mutation & tumour

today swallows fill the air
calls drowning out conversation
all talk

birds flutter like leaves like paper
if there is no pleasure to be found in the World there is no pleasure
like writing a poem far into the night

BRAF the most potent regulator of cell growth
this the call in the cell					the knowing the cure
the miracle the nothingness