My therapist, she told me
“Emotions are held in the body,
you know?
Anger and rage hide
behind your heart,
deep in your chest
where it hurts when you breathe.
Your stomach holds bitterness,
and your intestines
twist and turn and choke
out any sweetness.
Your shoulders and neck,
those are all about
acceptance.
Your cheeks hold
all your happiness,
like a chipmunk storing seeds for
Winter.
Your throat, of course,
and tongue
are where shyness stays–
stammering and stuttering–
that’s what your mouth is for.”
“That’s fine,” I tell her,
“I get that.
But where do lies hide?”