It is easy to work when the soul is at play
It is easy to work when the soul is at play —
But when the soul is in pain —
The hearing him put his playthings up
Makes work difficult — then —
It is simple, to ache in the Bone, or the Rind —
But Gimlets — among the nerve —
Mangle daintier — terribler —
Like a Panther in the Glove —
—Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) (additional analysis)
Questions for reflection: What does it mean for the “soul to be at play”? How does a “playful soul” influence your communication with God, self, and others?