If People Were Bread

if people were made of bread,

we'd be soggy in the middle

blood and life matter sodden

the glutanimated structure within us all.

With a firm, retaining exterior

as our skin, our protector, hardens

callouses in exposure to heat, oxygen

and the existential experiential

But, we're not made of bread, people

we're made of stoicism and fragility in equal measures

frailty and grit, resilience and acceptance

to toughen our structure,

we need to first soften ourselves

work the dough of our humanity, of our spirit, with care

kneading, stretching and testing our strength of character

the physiological and psychological,

rested to allow growth and maturation

for our leaven to work, undisturbed, unperturbed

adding water for fluidity

our words, our taste, our pleasure, the paste, seasoned

with salt, and oil the balm of human empathy, kindness

we are more than the bread

the bread we break with friends, enemies

more than a piece or peace offering

we are complicated, but simple

and while the recipe is the same, our ingredients are unique

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Thanks for reading!

Author's Notes: Stream came to me, thinking about if people were bread. I started singing a few lines and then the rest flowed.

If you are interested and don't mind checking out the badlands (and have a Medium account), I'd appreciate if you read two pieces I've published there this week through the publication Scuzzbucket. They are only available on Medium. If that serves as any motivator. Thank you.