The body is an instrumental source
Of various and somewhat sour sounds
Though frequently the melody is coarse
When smelly drumbeat flatulence astounds.
Percussion sometimes takes a softer tone
When ancient joints emit their creaks and thuds.
Though nothing dominates digestive moans
So much as belches, burps performed in floods.
Recently, seared scallops or ancient fish
Broadcast some strange and horrid music noise—
All night long incessant rumbles, ghoulish,
Gurgled, thundered—conveyed no lyric joy.
My ER doctor knew that symptom’s name—
The medic’s term for ugly gastric flames—
Loud and terrifying gut enigmas?
Offbeat peristaltic borborygmus!
(4/30/13)