poems index
© Lisa Sarasohn 2001
www.honoringyourbelly.com

Not a poem about smoking

This is not a poem about smoking
because there is no poetry in smoking.
spaThere is no music in the merchandising of death.
spaThere is no wordplay in the exploitation of breath.
spa spaThere's no liberation of spirit
spa spain commercializing our capacity to breathe,
spa spa spaNo revivifying rhythm
spa spa spain caging the will within addiction.

There is no poetry in smoking
and this is not a poem about smoking.
spaThis is a poem about
spa what's left to us to love:
spa spain Latin, the word is spiritus, the breath.

Ahh...
Say it with me, the sound you're breathing out
spawhen something stirs your heart: ahhh
Say it with me, the sound you're breathing out
spawhen something soothes your spirit: ahhh
Say it with me, the sound you're breathing out
spawhen something gives you grace: ahhh

Ahh...
The sound of our encounter
with love, beauty, peace, grace, release—
with whatever it is we hold to be holy.

Ahh...
The syllable we humans have, from the beginning,
breathed into naming that Power of Being
who breathes the breath of life into us: spiritus

Say it with me:

In the name of all that we hold holy,
In the names of all that we all hold holy,
let us commend ourselves to spirit
conspire to love the breath.

Amen