Inside and outside.

What are we inside?
Inside we're just filthy guts
vermicular instincts and ravenous mucous membranes ,
bones and nerves bleeding, inert
  fat and smelly droppings.

Only this we're inside,
only this is in the "interiore homine."
Why all the rest ...
everything else is outside.

Outside is the soul, which is our gateway
  open to others and to the world.
Outside is the word, sound, music, color.
Outside is light, it 's bright dawn.
Outside is the love that awaits us,
Life is outside and outside is the Sun.

Inside slowly gnaws the Death,
and weaves his machinations
to block one day our eyes
and imprison us forever
in his helpless, dumb, deaf interiority.

Ciro D'Alessio