The Itch I Can't Reach

Scratch an itch...
oily skin on fingers over muscle,
tendons, blood and bones.

What hearted creature is
unlike this?

The organism.

Water in.
Food in.
Oxygen in.
Information in.

Noises out.
Heat out.
Moisture out.
Carbon dioxide out.
Matter out.

Simple. Common. Universal.

I can hear the gurgling of my
juices extracting life from the
food. I can feel the pulse of my
heart carrying nutrients in my blood
throughout.

Cells dying and birthing, dying
and birthing in us all, always,
until the last smile when something
is freed.

Ah, yes. Hello.

Thank you for showing up before then.

How could you let me sleep for so long? Did I miss
anything important while I was away?

Oh, well let's not be too dramatic.

What hearted creature am I who acts so separate,
alone from my hearted brothers?

Could you hand me the back-scratcher?

I have an itch I can't seem to reach.