Cleansing

When fear of death
forced me to quit drugs I
sought new highs.

Kundalini,
yoga of the Sikhs,
substituted.

Trembling dizzy
gasping collapsing
asana Hell.

How I loved it,
loathing every class,
constant anger,

Toxins pouring
out of my liver,
years of damage.

A friend asked me
to meet the Big Cheese,
Yogi Bhajan.

I smirked in front
while he expounded.
I knew the drill:

Women in back,
blow jobs and babies,
call it holy.

Suddenly he
gazed at me, friendly.
“Some of you here

Might not believe
a word I’m saying.”
(Beautiful smile.)

Winking at me:
“Well now, that’s alright.
Let’s do yoga.”

Hannah Bleier is a slightly published writer and teacher who lives in Northern California. She’s working on two books she hopes to complete before her number’s up.