2010 Poem ‘A Body to Care About’ by Walter Lerchner, U.S.A. from the Book ‘Realizations’ Pages 16 and 17

Recently a young dog
joined our family

After some time with it
I realized something about myself

The relationship with my body could be similar
to the relationship with my young dog

I give it attention, I give it treats, I give it exercise

Sometimes it needs training
Sometimes it needs discipline

It cannot always get what it likes
neither can it always do what it wants

Like for the young dog that I love
I need to discriminate about what my body can get

Force it a little to do what is good for it
And take away the things that could do it harm

It is the understanding of myself, which makes me human
My body is just like that of the animals it did evolve from

I realized
that I should treat my body like an animal
which I love and care about