Brain Chemistry Lesson Poem by Herbert Nehrlich

You asked about your serotonin,
it's such a catchword nowadays,
though very few do understand
ramifications of this noble substance.

Imagine, if you will, a theatre
in open air, the background fragrant pines.
The stage is set with circles of straight chairs,
there for the actors and the dignitaries, waiting.

A goodly number is reserved for Serotonins,
who share the limelight with the Dopamines,
and now, the show begins, both do their thing
while standing, pointing with their hormone fingers.

Soon tension builds electrically, it is
communication between chemistry and physics,
the guests of honour rise and wander off the stage
to mingle with the crowds and interact.

They stand in little groups of five to eight,
all talk is 'shop' and does concern the nips and tugs
that may be indicated here and there and now.
Meanwhile the chairs up on the stage remain
just standing there and soaking up the sun,
awaiting the return in patient silence.

At times it happens that a group of strangers
descend upon the stage out of the blue.
They sink into the chairs to rest their bones
and snooze the time away until, too soon
the rightful owners do return to claim their seats.

The stand-off does not end due to politeness,
no battle does disturb the atmosphere,
all Serotonins and their real adversaries,
by name of Dopamines accept the change
and stand around, but not in little groups.

Because the time will come that the intruders
(they very often come from Pharmaland) ,
get up to stretch their tentacles and yawn.
And then, as if to re-establish balance,
they execute the switch to Harmony.

Whatever interferes with those receptors,
also called chairs, inside the brain, makes people ill.
Man cannot match the awesome skills of Mother Nature.
But there are always those who think they can, and try.