The Cry of Body and Soul

February 13, 2013

from day one in this world
we eat
we poop
we sleep
we cry

there are
no lessons involved
no training needed
we just do it

as adults we have learned to
harness
control
manipulate
schedule
these same bodily functions
so that we can function
with one another
together
well

most of us eat three times during the day
some of us dine together with friends
making it more interesting for all
most of us poop alone in small closets
some don’t unfortunately for all
most of us sleep while it’s dark outside
some of us have a partner to lie with
most of us cry alone
some of us need to weep with friends

through the years
along the journey
we have learned
sometimes
the hard way
that
these things must happen
there can be delay
there can be negotiation
there can be disinterest
but
they WILL happen
and
they MUST happen
if not
the body will eventually
Just MAKE it happen

we have learned to
listen to our body
often
it starts out with
involuntary whispers
a growl in your stomach
or
a squirm in your seat
or
a yawn in your mouth
or
a tear in your eye

so nice of our body
to subtly
hint
so

however
if we ignore these signs
the body becomes less kind
we turn irritable until we eat
we poop in our pants
we fall asleep with friends
we cry uncontrollably in public

the first two
we well understand
input output
energy needed
waste not needed

sleep
less so
this strange
but comforting ritual
this daily hibernation
unconscious between sheets
in small enclosure

the tear
the cry
the sob
the blubber
even less understood
why did I tear up at the theatre
why did i cry at the cremation
why did i weep at the wedding

the tear
is the tether
to the soul

the tear
is the
simple
physical
universal
indication
of the
complex
internal
mysterious
incomprehensible
world within
the soul

it takes
more time
more years
more decades
to read the signs
to decipher the codes
to pose the right questions
to search for the true meaning

we know what to do
when our body cries
i need to eat
i need to poop
i need to sleep

but
do we know what to do
when our soul cries
i need to yearn
i need to mourn
i need to reach
i need to search
i need to create
i need to procreate
i need to connect
i need to project
i need to share
i need to care
i need to love