I know it.

They know it.

Sometimes the teacher announces it.

Breathe deep, Yoginis—oh, and Yogi.

Ha-ha.

Let’s get into our Goddesses—you, too, Michael!

Yuk-yuk.

I can hang with the girls.

In fact, I don’t need any hands-on

adjustment

to touch my feminine side

though there are times

my finely tuned intuition

picks up they’d prefer

to keep it among the

estrogen gifted.

I admit my eyes have,

on occasion,

beheld the glory of

of a slow rising butt.

No apologies.

It’s yoga.

Stretching bodies, soul-moving

chanting, deep breathing.

Humanity for a better humanity.

Yoga balances on

juxtapositions.

Simultaneously

pulling and pushing,

opening and retracting

like the universe,

like our minds,

like our—

um, I really don’t know

how

the universe balances.

Or our minds.

Or our bodies.

And that is why

I practice yoga,

girls and boys.

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Editor: Travis May

Photo: elephant archives