You can give up 
your mind, at least 
some of the time, 
 
you can give them 
your body, maybe 
the best years of 
 
your life. And they’ll 
take a little piece of 
your heart – even if 
 
you won’t admit 
it. But please don’t 
let them take 
 
your soul. Don’t 
let them steal it 
from you – they 
 
will do so when 
you’re complacent, 
your dreams 
 
and any other 
schemes lying 
adjacent, you slowly 
 
dying on the vine, as 
John Cale put it. 
Don’t let them 
 
take your soul away 
because all that 
you have is 
 
your soul. I learned 
that best, from a  
Tracy Chapman song. 
 
It’s not always the best 
place to learn things – but 
it’s worked well enough 
 
for me. I’ve given them 
bits of my body and mind 
from time to time, but I’ll 
 
hope to never give up 
my soul. All that you 
have is your soul.