photography at 100 bpm

my heart beats

120 bpm as i sit

head tilted slightly right

then slightly left

with back straight and hands folded and ankles crossed 

i flinch every time the flash goes off and the photographer tells me to not look so scared

my heart beats

90 bpm as i lie

breathless

careless

with eyes squinted and hands clasped over my mouth

i'm laughing so hard that i don't hear the sound of the shutter

my heart beats

110 bpm as i leap 

at the count of three,

arms and legs flushed with sunburn, stretched as far as possible,

(farther than everyone else)

but in that moment, i'm in flight

and i don't worry about the camera