Another Day, Another Dolor

The purpose of life is to be purposeful;
and each separate purpose is judged daily by the body;

when the belly hurts, you must be doctor to yourself;
when the head hurts, you must think further

thereon, for the soul points to its chief instrument,
and from your brow like Zeus' a work is due.

When the whole body hurts, in pain, it means
death is not necessarily the end of the soul;

the man, the hero I say, steps to the plate
and look at this, he says, a principle to die on.

for Daniel Berrigan