Hello

It’s Spleen here; in my capacity as Human Liaison Officer for AURIO, that’s the Association of Under-Represented Internal Organs.

We’ve formed this organisation – that’s me, Spleen, and founder members Appendix, Gall Bladder, Liver and Kidneys – because we’re fed up with the ignorance and bias demonstrated on a daily basis by our human hosts.

Our first campaign is about Heart and its near monopoly on metaphor to do with love and emotion. Why? Why would a pump become so associated with notions of romance and attraction? Have you seen an actual heart? Nothing like those ridiculous illustrations on Valentine’s Day cards.

But if you insist on using internal organs to symbolise human feelings, then include us.

For instance, we can replace ‘Heart’ in song titles.

We’ve been trying a few out. How about

‘Anyone who has a Gall Bladder’.

‘Liver Full of Soul’

And my personal favourite, ‘My Spleen Must Go On.’

You see, it works perfectly well.

Anyway, this is just the beginning.

We demand equal recognition for all internal organs. That means you, our human hosts, knowing who we are, where we are and what we do.

So that’s your task. We hope you will co-operate. We know that most learning about us takes place when we are causing you pain. Something to bear in mind.

Buit to finish on a lighter note, please join me in rendition of ‘I left my appendix in San Francisco’?

(C) Danielle Jones (Teale) Dance, Collective IDentity, written and spoken by Jim Read