photo: Atacama desert, Chile, an ideal place to visit oneself.

This poem was written thinking around Carl Jung, who suggested analysing our own reactions to daily irritants. I have tried this approach over the years, and it is now what I try to do most of the time, when a situation, a person, or a behaviour irritates me or puts me in a bad mood. The answers become longer and deeper the more I do it and hopefully has allowed me to better understand myself and others as well. It is why, when I look at aggressive, explosive, or hateful reactions on social medias, as well as the slightly more subtle allegedly benevolent remarks masking jealousy, regrets, envy, I tell myself that Jung’s advice could benefit many people.

We project our soul onto the words of others

We reveal our dreams and our dark reflections

When we prepare our hidden invectives

In cheap humour,

We mock those we would have wanted to be

If decency had not been taught to us

What we regret a little all the same

It would be nice

Not to have a soul

For a moment or two