Breath After Breath - June 26 2023

 

Breath After Breath

June 26 2023

The rise and fall

of breath after breath,

from the very first cry

until the moment of death.

I rely on this,

life-giving air

cycling in and out

regular as clockwork.

I rarely pay attention to this,

preoccupied, as I am

by the pressing matters

of daily life;

the many things

for which a man of my importance

must ration his time.

As if I'm inhabiting

a robot body

that runs automatically;

as if we'd agreed

not to bother each other

except in those rare emergencies.

Same with the beating heart

killer cells

metabolic pathways.

Doesn't matter

that I've never even heard

of most of what goes on in there,

the microscopic machinery

under the flesh

in all its vast complexity.

I thought I was in charge

but apparently not.

Except, that is, when I stop.

Hold my breath

go underwater

run out of air.

Or clear my head

and concentrate on breathing;

slow and deep

in and out

breath after breath.

Measured, steady, centred,

the monkey chatter

in my fevered brain

stilled.

Over-riding the robot,

imposing my will.

Who soon protests;

my head

filling up again,

lungs

as unconscious as ever

taking care of themselves.

The default state

of staying alive.

A passenger

once more confined

to the small sliver of brain

given over to thought.