Epic of the Six Darknesses: XIII

Epic of the Six Darknesses: XIII


XIII

And as I breathe the slow breath of meditation
the second darkness of breast is threatened;
as my heart slows due to the peace
that passeth understanding
shantih shantih shantih
as my brainwaves slow and change
seeking frequencies more in tune to the universe
the slow song of survival sung by every molecule
every cell every organelle
the life wish manifests in my very body
accepting every breath as a gift
participating fully in a life worth living

I am transformed

I am transformed at the level of the body
microscopic changes begin to occur
the milk in my veins unfolds and pops
each milkcell becomes a white blood cell
as the red cells return from hiding in the bone
and these white blood cells gather together like an army
like a people gathering to sing of liberation
and they storm the cancers growing in the brain
all of the ugliness and confusion and despair
these are no match for the new warriors
fighting for life
all life must fight against the entropies
I am a new soldier now I am ready for battle

Now we are racing back toward the heart
through the lungs
where the second darkness of breast
has lodged itself deep in the lungs
alveolar sacs full of sagging breastflesh
now to root out the mother from the place
of breathing the source of life fire
the place where outside becomes inside
where we become one with the universe
this is where the final battle must be fought

but the breast is withering
it is no longer tight with milk
it no longer presses against the flesh
as if unable to contain itself
I gather it together like a grounded parachute
climb from the caverns
fold it multifoliate like a rose
push it out of the mouth
the way the earth pushes flowers
out of the ground
out from my mouth a thousand flowers


Richard Smyth

Posted over on Anabiosis Press