There is the saying that “a body is a temple”
A physical space for all our inner thoughts and private musings.
We are made from stardust, disintegrating from the sky
We embody the traits of figures from the ancient past
They stand in glorious poses in museums around the world
Our bodies spell their names in ways only the eyes can read.
My body is empowering, like the strength of Zeus
Superior bodies makes me envious, ashamed of my reflection, like the jealous queen Hera
My body can carry children, it grows and flourishes to be a home for a stranger, like Demeter
My body is full of anger,, like chaotic seas and savage tsunamis, like Poseidon
My body is beautiful, in all its natural form, like Aphrodite
My body is a vessel of violence, a place to inflict pain and misery, like the war of Ares
My body is dying at every second, and soon it will be dead, like Hades
I poison my body, addiction runs through my veins, like the wine and vigor of Dionysus
My body is a item of wisdom, strategy and defence to keep me safe, like the courage of Athena
My body is full of artistry, dance and voice like the mastery of Apollo
My body is different to everyone else’s, and in its difference is its hidden wonder, like the hidden Hephestus
My body is everything at once, hidden or visible, the truth is always revealed more in movements than words
Prishant K Jutlla
What does ‘Our Bodies Speak Like Gods’ mean to me?
The idea behind his poem came to me while I was reading a book of Greek Mythology. I have loved reading their stories for years, but something about this moment really stood out to me. Very rarely are the Gods ever good, righteous or moral, with a few exceptions of course. Because, their essence, their bodies represent ideas, not complex thoughts like our bodies do. They are otherworldly, but we take in those ideas and manifest them in the way we carry ourselves. Our bodies speak like gods, because that’s how we take in their stories.
Written byPrishant K Jutlla
