I was born with a mammal's heart, Searching faces in the dark, Listening for a voice that knew my name. The nervous system learns its song, From arms that hold, from eyes that bond, From warmth that tells the body it is safe. But silence echoed through the hall, No one heard the midnight call, No steady hand to help me find my ground. The hunger stayed beneath my skin, A compass turning from within, Still searching for the love that wasn't found. The child who isn't held enough Still carries fires beneath the dust. The child not embraced by the village Will burn it down to feel its warmth Not because the child loves fire, But because the cold became the storm. The child not given the spoon of love May learn to lick it from the knives Still searching for a place of safety, Still trying to keep hope alive. The superior colliculus turns, Toward every chance the heart might learn, That someone sees and someone understands. The body scans a thousand skies, For caring voices, gentle eyes, For evidence that help is close at hand. But when connection disappears, Shock can settle through the years, Bracing shoulders, tightening the breath. A mammal wasn't built alone, The deepest circuits of the soul Were wired for belonging from the start. Every creature seeks the herd, Long before a single word. The child not embraced by the village Will burn it down to feel its warmth Not because the child loves fire, But because the cold became the storm. The child not given the spoon of love May learn to lick it from the knives Still searching for a place of safety, Still trying to keep hope alive. And yet... The story doesn't end in pain. The brain can learn. The heart can change. A caring voice can calm the night. A steady gaze can bring back light. New pathways growing branch by branch, Like forests rising after flames. One kind soul. One open hand. One nervous system helping another stand. The child embraced by the village Learns the warmth was theirs all along. The fire becomes a guiding lantern, The wound becomes a healing song. The spoon of love is freely offered By hearts courageous enough to care. And every frightened mammal learns There is still connection everywhere. We were never meant to heal alone. We were never meant to walk alone. Living, breathing mammals, Finding our way home. Finding our way home.
