Daunting

You can rehearse all the good
Things on your vicinity,
Itemize what makes you glad,

Or should, about the bright day.
But gladness goes beyond counts
And anyone, any day,

Can draw up lists in combat
Of the reasons to be glad
And the reasons to be sad.

The direction selected
Says either already glad
Or already sad. The mind

Casts about for evidence
That will affirm what it feels.
Evidence is always there.

The chemistry that goes on,
That orchestrates all of this
Has no care for your affairs,

Is an evolved reaction
To other combinations
Of the ancient molecules

That generate behavior.
Chemistry tames chemistry—
Tames—the same root as daunting—

To vanquish, to fill with dread,
To domesticate, to tame.
All you need to go feral,

To be ferally content,
Glad, satisfied, enlightened,
Is for awareness to hold

The reins of your chemistry,
So that you aren’t forced to think,
Can never be forced to think

Of anything too daunting.
Hasn’t it occurred to you
That all your meditation,

Prayer, dances, opiates, booze
Have been weapons in one war,
For awareness to refuse

To be tamed to being good,
By brain’s social chemistry
Evolved to remain subdued?

Both sides deploy the weapons.
Mostly the taming side win.
But when they’re stolen, unearned,

Gladness, peace, contentment
Are always small victories
For you against things to do.