The Belly of the Whale

1. The belly of the whale represents the final separation from the hero's known world and self. It is sometimes described as the person's lowest point, but it is actually the point when the person is between or transitioning between worlds and selves. The separation has been made, or is being made, or being fully recognized between the old world and old self and the potential for a new world/self. The experiences that will shape the new world and self will begin shortly, or may be beginning with this experience which is often symbolized by something dark, unknown and frightening. By entering this stage, the person shows their willingness to undergo a metamorphosis, to die to him or herself.

what can be said about now,

then,

the rough descent of death?

all is low,

all is the hollow.

in the belly, the burden bears its weight,

leans its hard truth deep into my shoulders.

these are brittle bones of steel and fraying synaptic divides.

at what point in the darkness,

did the last star expire?

now, then,

in the strength of loss

it sits,

like a cold, dark stone,

sinking.

who could point at a moment of time

to define the place when the cartographies of chaos began to

rub away the path,

where every tree bore a sameness for miles and miles of

dark and terrifying wilderness.

I had dreams of fire stretching underground,

and I had to walk into it's hot breath

with the certainty of death.

I had dreams of black water,

long backed reptiles, ancient and fierce,

sharks of great white terror

and mud deep muscular alligators.

Inside of it, my body flailed and failed to find the edge of something solid.

Dangling in the lonely panic of fear

is a cry so loud it is silent.

in the center of this mute prayer is a willingness to bargain with whatever death requires; to give anything in order to ascend and breathe, again, the simplicity of air.