I suspected my soul, being mischievous, might slip away while I was dreaming and fail to return

I suspected my soul, being mischievous, might slip away while I was dreaming and fail to return

Patti Smith, the iconic singer, songwriter, and poet, is known for her introspective and deeply spiritual lyrics. In her work, she often explores themes of identity, mortality, and the nature of the soul. The line "I suspected my soul, being mischievous, might slip away while I was dreaming and fail to return" perfectly encapsulates the sense of vulnerability and uncertainty that pervades much of Smith's writing.

Smith's music is filled with a sense of longing and searching for something beyond the physical world. She often grapples with the idea of the soul as a separate entity from the body, something that is eternal and transcendent. In this line, she expresses a fear that her soul, which she sees as mischievous and unpredictable, might wander off while she is in a state of unconsciousness, leaving her feeling lost and disconnected from herself.

This fear of losing touch with one's own soul is a common theme in many spiritual traditions, and Smith's exploration of it in her work speaks to a deep sense of existential unease that many people can relate to. The idea that our souls are not entirely under our control, that they have a will of their own and may choose to leave us at any moment, is a haunting and unsettling thought.