Why Do We Cry?

Cut an onion, your eyes go wet! Stub your toe, and the tears get set! Watch a sad part of a movie, it's true, TEARS just come, and they roll right through!

But did you know there are THREE kinds of tears? THREE different waters from your two little spheres! Each one's got its own little job, Your eyeball does more than sob!

ONE, BASAL, they wash all day! Tiny tiny tears in a quiet way! Every blink, blink blink, a swish, a sweep! Cleaning your eyeballs while you're awake or asleep!

TWO, REFLEX, they SHOW UP FAST! A fleck of dust, an onion blast, Cold wind, smoke, a poke too near, WHOOSH! Reflex tears say, "GET OUT OF HERE!"

THREE, EMOTIONAL, those are the big ones! The kind that come when feelings are HUGE ones! You're sad, you're mad, you're SO happy, Those tears come from the heart, not snappy!

One, two, three, three kinds of tears! Washing, fighting, and feeling the years! Each one different, each one true, Three little waters made for you!

The funny thing? It's only US, Only humans cry from feelings, no fuss! Dogs, cats, frogs, and even the cow Make basal and reflex, but emotional? WOW, That part is just a human thing!

How do we know? How do we know? A scientist named William Frey said so! He collected tears in tiny glass cups From sad people, onion-choppers, and pups!

He looked at the chemistry, drop by drop, Some had STUFF the others did NOT! Emotional tears had extra bits, Different proteins, different fits!

He proved the three kinds weren't all the same, Each one carried a different name! Basal kept the eyeball wet, Reflex was the bouncer, you bet, Emotional carried something MORE, Stuff your feelings packed in their store!

One, two, three, three kinds of tears! Washing, fighting, and feeling the years! So when your eyes start filling up, It's a tiny WHY in every cup!

Crying is healthy, crying is strong, Your body's doing what bodies do all along! Three little waters from your two little eyes, Each with a job, each with a why!