Posted on by Tenneson Woolf

The Anatomy of Peace — John Roedel

Nod of thanks to Wendy Miller Olapade for sharing this Roedel poem. Roedel is a writer and comic. I love this poem for it’s narrative of divorced brain and heart (telling it like it is for so many of us). I also love it for it’s narrative of invitation (to welcome breath).

Enjoy the excerpt below. And the whole piece on Roedel’s site.

The Anatomy of Peace
John Roedel

my brain and heart divorced
a decade ago
over who was to blame about how big of a mess I have become
eventually, they couldn’t be in the same room with each other
now my head and heart share custody of me

…

last evening, my gut asked me if I was having a hard time being caught between my heart and my head

this morning, while my brain was busy reading tea leaves
and while my heart was staring at old photographs
I packed a little bag and walked to the door of my lungs

before I could even knock she opened the door with a smile and as a gust of air embraced me she said

“what took you?”

One Reply to “The Anatomy of Peace — John Roedel”

  1. What a great poem and thanks for posting. I posted a link to the full version on my facebook page and was surprised at the response from my followers. It resonates with all that read it.

    Breathing is good. Breathing is the moment. Breathing is the only now you’ll ever need.

    Reply

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