We were gently rolling in Happy Baby

when she said,

I’m so sorry but I ran a bit

over. So we won’t have time

for Savasana.

I heard sniffles, a few groans,

some crybabies started to wail.

It was a shock to my system,

totally.

All that talk about flexibility

and letting go aside—

like stuff-it-in-the-non-recyclables-bin-

at-the-edge-of-town aside—

Savasana is essential for yogis.

Like the landing at the end of a flight.

You could lose a Hero Pose,

let a Gorilla go and not raise a bead of

sweat but you don’t fuck with the

dessert of Yoga.

When I came out of the shower

the studio manager, a teacher

herself,

was searching for some equanimity,

bombarded by complaints—

bellyaching, my father would call it.

You cannot not have Savasana!

Is it even genuine Yoga without it?

My whole inner tide is thrown off!

They demanded their money back.

A full refund? I wondered.

What’s a pose worth?

Are some more valuable than others?

I put my mat down and stuck around.

Not only to learn the answers.

I wanted the cash.

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Editor: Travis May

Photo: elephant archives