A Poem: Peri-carpe-diem

Peri-Carpe-Diem[1]

“Seize the day.”
Reach into the silver stream of time in a flash
Grasp its wriggle full round.
Choke the life out of it
as if you were wringing tears
from a riverstone.
After all,
to get a finger on the pulse,
sometimes you have to stop it.

The essence of a thing is in its heart
not in the glittery sun-colored scales
so wrap your fingers deep and tight,
wrap like a second pericardium
and squeeze.

Squeeze till you leave
bruises patterned after
your palm-read destinies.
Squeeze till all that’s left is the mold
of negative space
contained within
your secret-housing fist.

Lack hesitation and doubt in this.
They are human weaknesses,
part and parcel of the human dilemma,
they harbinger death (yours anyway)
and you do not want to die,
not ever, and certainly
not on this day.

So:
Seize the day.
Seize it,
before it seizes you.

***
[1] A series of free associations: “Carpe” means “Seize” in Latin. A “Carp” is a common fish, which we know in Hawaii (and in Japan) as a “Koi.” In Japanese, “Koi” is a homophone for “romantic” (i.e., selfish, wanting) love. Thus, by means of a fish, we almost accomplish a semantic circle, from Carpe/Seize (as in the passionate grasping for life) to Koi/Love (as in a passionate grasping kind of love). Further tenuous associations: the Pericardium is the membrane surrounding the heart (in Chinese, Xin Bao, Xin meaning Heart, and Bao meaning Embrace, the same Bao as in Char Siu Bao, or Manapua). The Pericardium organ may be figuratively seen to “seize” or “grasp” the heart. The Pericardium channel in acupuncture runs down the midline of the medial (pale) aspect of the arm, running directly over the “Carpal Tunnel” (“Carpal” coming from “Carpe,” to “Seize,” as the muscles and tendons passing through this tunnel allow the hand to grasp things). Furthermore, Chinese medicine ascribes an almost spiritual role to each organ. The Heart is the seat of the Spirit, figuratively represented by the Emperor, sealed away in His Forbidden City. The Pericardium is the Prime Minister, the only one allowed direct access to the Emperor. It has been said that the Pericardium’s role is one of Storyteller, for it is through his words that the Emperor is able to vicariously view His kingdom. So, in a sense, the Pericardium is the layer of hesitation, protection and, sometimes, obfuscation, that mediates between the Heart (the Emperor) and the world at large.