"soften"
You squeeze your heart so tightly that I'm surprised you don't die.
Every muscle moves in lockstep, every cell aligns with
Your North Pole of self-preservation.
Air doesn't flow into your lungs:
You imprison it.
Your walk, your words -- are rigid. Stiff. Stilted.
Your "the" divides the air,
Your elocution parts the room.
In public, you are a barometer:
Always under pressure.
Always meas-ur-ing...
Calculating...
Com-pu-ting...
Until
the woman at the market.
you feel yourself easing,
softening
inside yourself.
that string that had you wound up so
tightly wiggles, loosens.
a little voice whispers
"there...see?
open up.
exteeend.
that's it.
that's it."
sometimes --
you have to trust people.
let go.
unclench.
connect.
soften.