I AM BLOOD AND BONES, AND SKIN
I HAVE MUSCLES, NERVES, AND A HEART,
I AM ORGANS, FLUIDS, LUNGS, AND TISSUE
I HAVE THIS BODY, AND IT’S ME

I WAS BORN IN A HOSPITAL
AN EVENING IN MAY

IT WAS THE CHINESE YEAR OF THE RAT, in element water

DEEP WITHIN ME IT FLOWS AND PUMPS AND SHUDDERS,
FOR YEARS MY HEART HAS BEEN BEATING HER WAY
THROUGH ROWS OF DAYS AND NIGHTS,
AND SLEEP CARRIED ME ALL ALONG,
WHILE UNCONSCIOUS HANDS STAY

I AM NO MORE THAN THE STUFF THAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF,
BUT MY BODY IS EXISTENTING FLESH IN WORLDLY SPACE

SUNLIGHT TOUCHED MY SKIN FOR MANY SUMMERS,
TREMBLING RED BEHIND CLOSED EYES

GETTING THE HANG OF MOVING, BY JUMPING
AND RESTING IN KEEP LYING STILL,
AND LEARN TO RUN HARD, WITH WILD PUMPING BREATHING
THE FEELING OF SWEAT DRYING COLD IN THE WIND

AS A KID, THE FALLING, AND ENDLESS ENDEAVOURS
THE CARESSING OF CHICKENS, DOGS, HORSES AND TREES
DARK EYES OF RABBITS WHILE TELLING THEM STORIES
THE STRONG FORCE OF THE GOAT AND GUARDING GEESE

FEVERISH DREAMS, BATTLES AND LONGINGS,
TAKING CARE OF THE BODY, AND BEING TAKEN CARE OFF
FEELING SAFE AND SECURE, AND SEARCHING OUT DANGER,
THE WASHING, THE CLOTHING, AND TAKING THEM OFF

SWIM ACROSS WATERS AND GREEN WORLDS, AND FLOATING,
LISTENING TO THE IN, AND OUT AGAIN
FEEL HOW TENSION COLLECTS AND DISCHARGES
THE FLOWING OF ENERGY AND LOOSING IT WHEN

THE FEELING OF EVENING AND WINDS OVER FIELDINGS
REFLECTIONS IN WINDOWS OF HIGH LIGHTED GYMS,
SPORTING AND PLAYING WHILE OUTSIDE THE FLOODING
OF LIGHTS LIGHTNING CROSSLINES AND DRAWING A MAP
THE PUSHING OFF, BENDING, TILTING, AND TURNING
TRUSTING THE BODY IN CLOSING THE GAP

PRACTICING BALANCE AND COÖRDINATION
THE STEERING LINE BETWEEN EYE, HEAD AND HAND,
SKETCHING THE BODY IN BLACK SHAPES AND SHADOWS
THE ENDLESS ERASING TO EQUAL WHAT’S MEANT

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FULL GROWN BODY,
MEASURING UP TO THE RESTLESS MIND
MEETING BROAD DAYLIGHT AFTER CANDLELIT PLACES
AND DAZZLING ROTATIONS GOING ON INSIDE

THE SMOKING AND DRINKING AND THE EFFORT TO QUIT
GETTING WOUNDED, AND SICK, AND SECURE AGAIN
THE SIGHING, AND SCREAMING AND ENDLESS SOFT WHISPERS,
AND LISTEN TO THE BODY NOW AND THEN

STUMBLING, AVOIDING, CONNECTING AND PLAYING
HOW TO TAPDANCE THE FUTURE AND STEPSTONE THE PAST
LEARNING THE RHYTHM OF MOVING FROM FORWARD
AND INSIDE AND OUTSIDE AND HEADING BACK FAST

BEING SOME-BODY AMONGST ALL THE OTHERS
BEING NATURE, BEING PART AND BE THERE
THE MEANINGS OF NEVER AND WHAT IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT
HOW THE LIVING CAN DIE AND DO NOT COME BACK

FEELING A HEART STOP BEATING

THE LESSONS OF LOVE AND HOW MIND OVER BODY
AND HEAD OVER HEELS AND THE WISDOM OF FAITH
HOW THE BODY KNOWS WHAT THE SOUL IS BEEN UP TO,
OR SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING INSTEAD

THE BODY IS GIVING, AND TAKING, AND SHOWING,
AND INNOCENT TO ALL THE MIND INVENTS,
THE BODY CONNECTS ME, AND CREATES MY EXISTENCE,
IN FEAR AND ATTRACTION, AND HOLDING HANDS

CONTEMPLATING THE BODY AND SO MANY OTHERS,
SOMETIMES THE PHYSICAL JUST KICKS IN,
AND IS TAKING DECISIONS IN DARING AND CHOOSING,
NOT BASED ON THE OUTSIDE BUT FROM WITHIN

BODIES REMEMBER, THEY DON’T FORGET EASY,
WHATEVER IT TAKES, THEY ‘LL BRING US BACK THERE
BACK TO REMAINING, BACK TO MAINTAINING
BACK TO EACHOTHER, AND EVERY WHERE

KNOWING THE PRECIOUS AND HOW TO BEHOLD
THEY CAN REACH FOR THE OTHER
WITH TIME SLOWLY GROWING
THE SKINDEEP IMPRINT OF MIND OVER GOLD