The Hydra | Barbara Hilal With disjointed jerks whipping back and forth the hydra laughs at me   slash the heads one by one! immediately there are more the new heads smile mockingly      like a cheshire cat   I find myself on an examining table white haired young men stare down their eyes emitting rays of light penetrating me like lasar icepicks   the hydra, now a deflated costume  hangs in the corner obscenely    seen by my averted eyes     flay me with your instruments      analyze my parts    you cannot kill me    you cannot find me  I live between the heartbeats of my heart   Barbara Hilal