THE BODY REMEMBERS

They say the body remembers,

Way after the mind forgot.

That’s why it trembles, shivers

And understands it not.

When the body remembers,

It remembers the love,

The feeling of love, the ecstasy of it.

When it sang, tingled and trembled

With release.

As it sighed in bliss.

It remembers.

The body remembers, the rapid heartbeat,

the uncontrollable shaking,

the trembling of fear as it tried to cope.

Tried to accept, deny, then shake with heartbreak.

It shook in throbs, sobs of tears,

Crumbling to the ground.

Folding up into a ball.

Hoping, wishing, praying

to be swallowed by the ground.

The body remembers.

The mind torn, lost and wandering.

The body remembers.

Eat! Sleep! Smile! Cry!

The mind is blank,

in a daze, disbelief.

The body remembers.

Shake hands!

say ‘it’s going to be alright,’

eat, sleep, smile, cry.

Mind is screaming,

‘I can’t take this pain!’

The body remembers.

Sigh, look, cry, pray.

‘No! Stop it!’

Mind screams.

‘We are not okay! We are heart broken, crying, lost!’

The body remembers.

Throw the soil on the coffin;

say your last goodbyes;

remember the smells;

the voice, remember the smile,

remember the love.

We shall meet again.

‘I need to block out this pain!’

Alcohol, antidepressants, drugs, grass, sex, food,

all to make Mind feel good.

Just because,

The body remembers,

Long after Mind forgot.

(c) Albina Hipp