The tiger paces in the cage of my belly.

I try to feed him fire so my heart won’t smoke.

I cut up pieces of spirit and roast them with peppers

And offer them on a sword through the bars

Of the cage that contain his pacing but nothing else.

I cut his tongue out years ago yet I know his cries.

He comes to me at night as if part wolf and stares

As if the moon could pull the tides’ waves over him

Like a blanket of coolness, rocking what burns.

I honor him at dawn knowing my dreams

Bring him peace and settle my angst with his claws.

I hide the sharps from his thoughts and let

Him tease his way into mine, feeling his strength,

Knowing I dare not look into those eyes for fear

Would strike me blind and if he could he’d swipe

My face and grab my tongue to pull it out, to even

The score, so I’d know what he knows, stuck

In darkness where freedom cannot roam , I’d master

Hunger and learn to listen like a servant who knows

His home is not his, as I live in a body I barely know.

I am a full time yoga teacher, trained at City Fitness in Washington, DC, and Willow Street Yoga Center in Silver Spring, Maryland. I have been writing poetry since I was 9 years old. Poetry is my first love and yoga continues to feed my heart. I write because I love it. I teach because I love it. I tell my students all the time: do it because you can. That works for me. I believe in creating opportunity. I believe in helping my self and others. I think faith is the most important gift of life, because when we lose everything else we still have that in our heart. I believe the natural state of being is happiness, or bliss, or Ananda. Life is a celebration. Poetry and yoga help me celebrate. My blog and website: Edie Yoga.

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Editor: Kate Bartolotta

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