written and posted by members of Lancashire Dead Good Poets' Society

Thursday 31 May 2012

Call me Dr Phil

Endorphins are the body's own opiates.  They are released during prolonged exercise, periods of relaxation or after overexposure to light.  Subjecting onself to intense pain or pleasure will also bring this happy substance into the blood stream.

The word endorphin comes from endo, which means within, and morphine, which has its root in the Greek Morpheus - the god of dreams.  So endorphins could be said to create a dreamlike state of bliss.  

Did you ever have a pain that felt like it could be fixed by inserting a needle into the ache (this blogger is not advocating the insertion of needles into flesh)?  That'd be a way of intensifying the pain to release endorphins and deaden the pain signals.  Likewise, did you ever eat a massive cake when your heart ached (this blogger absolutely advocates the insertion of massive cakes into mouths)?  That'd be a way of intensifying the pleasure to release endorphins and hug your heart with pure, snuggly, saturated fat.  Mmmm.
 





Emily Dickinson, the reclusive poet, experienced prolonged periods of melancholia.  Many of her poems explored themes of pain and death.  The poem below encapsulates, I think, the idea of a surge of endorphins, flooding the body and mind, numbing the poet into a safe 'swoon', a sanctuary of dreaming.  

The next time someone rubs your neck or spanks your thighs, consider this.  You are buying into a dream-state.  Willfully, persistently, habitually.  Are you aware whether the pain which you are trying to dispel still exists?
There is a pain - so utter-
Emily Dickinson
There is a pain -- so utter --
It swallows substance up --
Then covers the Abyss with Trance --
So Memory can step
Around -- across -- upon it --
As one within a Swoon --
Goes safely -- where an open eye --
Would drop Him -- Bone by Bone.





With just a jump to the left...Tonight the Dead Good Bloggers find out whether this blog is an award-winning blog.  Whether the dream streams are induced by pain or pleasure matters not.  What is important is that we're diving in and having a splash. 


And then a step to the right...Tonight is also the Red Tent event at the New Continental in Preston.  Seven of the North West's most entertaining female poets will be strutting their stuff in a celebration of all things womanly.  As I was saying, what is important is that we're all getting wet. 

6 comments:

Standard said...

'Did you ever have a pain that felt like it could be fixed by inserting a needle into the ache?' Errrrm... ;/

Ashley Lister said...

If I could be in two places at once I'd be in Blackpool and Preston this evening.

Hope the Red Tent event is as much fun as the last event we all enjoyed at the New Continental.

And I shall take your suggestions for pain relief (big needles/cake) under consideration :-)

Ash

Damp incendiary device said...

I mean a plain needle, rather than one attached to a syringe, Mr Standard ;P

Good luck tonight you guys. Wish I could be there to see you all in the razzle dazzle! Ash, will Lindsay and I have our doppelgangers?

Ironically, my back is buggered today so I am doped up on opiates. Sorry Dr Phil.

Anonymous said...

You've just won some award and you still use .blogspot?

haaa x

Anonymous said...

You've just won some award and you still use .blogspot?

haaa x

Standard said...

Worst.

Troll.

Ever.

;P