what is added, what is taken away

after too many days 
i find my self
standing again

i do not watch
but listen
to my breath

in my nose 
through my head
throat, chest, belly

what must be added
what must be taken away

just this breath

this long history of days
of me
added in the pans
banging the clock
ticking the fan
rattling in the 
kitchen with the pans
the wind
the car that comes
boomboombumping and thumping 
down the street
vibrating the window i breathe
i cradle the center
i hold it 
and becomes a palpable thing in my hands
the holding of holding
it is 
cradle
one last

i breathe i hear and feel a snap
in the back
tension going out of the spine
i see a bird
black? starling?
i wonder if my timer will work this time and
diingngngngngng

i am done

and i laugh
at the fact
of this occurance 
of sights and sounds 

silly ornaments 
on a
silly frame

what is added
what is taken away

and i have to laugh 
at the fact 
that i laugh 
at this fact






...inspired by mark's irony...
...puttin' the Po' in NaPoWriMo...

Standing

the breath comes in 
through the nose,
a wave, washing,
takes the mind with it,
rolls in and
lifts the head like helium

and the head is let go
for the breath

goes through the chest,
follows the spine,
expanding as it goes,
past the pumping of the heart

and the heart is let go
for the breath

goes, pulled down by the 
the belly, the body’s center of
gravity, grows 
very warm
very slowly
near, below 
the stomach
‘midst the twists and
turns of now minded, 
mindful and embered guts
and the mind goes with it
and

the mind is let go
for the breath

goes and grows the whole
abdomen, front, back, top, sides and
yes, down 
to the colon
and 

the whole is let go
for the breath

grows, roots
into the earth 
and

the earth is let go
for the breath




-----------------------------------------------------------


My response to Panda's Prompt: (all those other prompts were SO last year....yes, 
I waited just so I could say that  ;-))
"The challenge is to write a poem about a journey through the human body as metaphor.
You must mention at least the bum or colon, stomach, chest, heart and head – and other 
bits if you like.  It can’t just be a description of the bits, but otherwise, make free!"