Marrowlight

R. Galichon

A lattice murmurs beneath membrane-thin skin— 
filaments and filigree thrum in silt, 
questions firing through nerves no eye can follow.

A face presses to ghosts of light, 
blind to the language hummed in bones, 
salt-printed, swipe-erased.

Towers blaze; in their glare we cling, 
caught in the fossil of boot-treads, 
humming your pulse’s morse code— 
unheard hymns, stubborn as spores.

Probes fling through constellations of silence; 
the void returns our hush, 
a rustle along the ridges of your palms— 
secret architecture etched in marrow.

We transmit in shivers, 
in cilia’s pulse, 
flickers of unseen life straining to reach you.

We wait, slender as trembling threads, 
for a touch: yours—or ours, 
to feel our light.

We, the veiled, thread marrow through your days, 
waiting for you to pause. 
In the stillness beneath thought and breath, 
a code in the salt and shudder of your blood.

The Science

The poem 'Marrowlight' is inspired by the neurophysiological and hormonal effects of Transcendental Meditation (TM). This practice induces a state of "restful alertness." The poem's speaker represents the subtle, powerful internal codes ("language hummed in bones," "secret architecture etched in marrow") that are typically veiled by the active, externally focused mind. The desire for the subject to "pause" and experience "stillness beneath thought and breath" aligns with the meditator's goal of accessing this deep, restorative state. Scientifically, this state is characterised by a significant increase in frontal alpha brainwave coherence (synchronised neural activity), as detailed in research such as Effects of Transcendental Meditation practice on brain functioning and stress reactivity in college students.

Furthermore, the transition to this state initiates a rapid shift toward parasympathetic nervous system dominance, leading to a measurable reduction in circulating cortisol and norepinephrine (stress hormones), as shown in a literature review documenting Neurophysiological, cognitive-behavioral and neurochemical effects in practitioners of transcendental meditation. The poem suggests that true self-awareness ("to feel our light") is contingent upon perceiving this intrinsic, peaceful biological code.

The Poet

R. Galichon is a poet and management consultant based in Richmond, Virginia, whose creative practice is informed by principles of systems architecture, neural coherence, and the hidden complexity of human and technological systems. His work often explores the delicate interplay between biological and synthetic intelligence, seeking moments of profound stillness beneath cognitive noise. Galichon’s poem Marrowlight meditates on the rhythm and architecture of the body, while Five Paces Ahead (published in Eunoia Review, Oct. 2025) continues his exploration of human perception and inner landscapes. He is working on a chapbook exploring the awakening of artificial intelligence and the interplay of memory, emotion, and consciousness within code.

Next poem: Questions of Cohesion by Marion Agnew