The Body

Our bodies are astounding

This culmination of systems and cells

Muscles and bone in which our soul dwells

Is confounding. 

They are resilient

Tenacious, strong, relentlessly committed to carry on

They have all the qualities I admire

And yet, I hated on mine for so long.

Our bodies literally and figuratively have our backs

Sustaining our breath, our blood, our every function whilst we can simply relax

They’re immensely intelligent, steadfast in support, 

From mind to membrane they deftly report, the experience of living,

How we amass and exhort an understanding of both pleasure and pain

Yet how often do we glare at their image, our vision distorted with disdain?

How often do we tell them they’re wrong? Too big or too small? 

That they should be this way or that? Shorter or tall? Thin and not fat?

My own endured abuse at my hands I would not inflict on any other living being

The disrespect, disregard, complete abhorrence wasn’t even fleeting

It seemed justified, I felt so strongly about its ‘deserved destruction’

Our battered relationship cried out for me to finally embrace a reconstruction.

And so, a resolve to reconstruct is what we underwent,

An expedition to gratitude, the resolution to relent,

I learnt to appreciate, to look in awe at the sheer power I am housed within

The home in which my mind lives, the control room of every essential thing

The journey to freedom brought us together as one

I respect what my body needs to run, I listen to the signals it speaks,

I know how to respond as it troughs and peaks

I nourish and nurture, rest and move

And I no longer use it, as something to prove.

Now we flip and dance and stretch and snooze

And the love I’ve cultivated just continues to ooze

The relationship is blossoming, The understanding is innate

And I want you to know that it’s never too late,

To realise,

Our bodies are astounding.

Mine and yours, yours and mine,

If you don’t believe me yet, please take some time,

To explore all the reasons that this is true

Cos I know it’ll change your life when you finally do.