Bordering on Emptiness
Passages have no closely-watched borders
a riverbank dissolves when closely seen
as moments of seeing
rabbit, hedgehog, owl in moonlight
night pales into morning; then the fading,
fabled dawn cannot be found
having been young we are suddenly old
save only in the imaginary closet of ‘memory’
we guard imaginary borders
because they’re only closed when guarded
guarding isn’t watching, as guarding
unknowingly but plainly admits
by its persistence while edges
keep vanishing like smoke
we are over here, you are over there;
seen up close there is no ‘there’
in the plain-speak of closely watching
we are all Here with momentary edges
of wings, oars, words, knives in-use
cutting air, water, any not-quite-rend-able fabric
whose cuts close quickly a border
is an illusion of a permanent edge
which no use has, has no use
it is ready to see
from nothing nothing comes
guarded or unguarded it’s a nihilist’s lunch
through emptiness’ welcome everything arrives
watched or unwatched it’s a wordless babe
beneath the threadbare skirt of nothingness
the velvet thighs of emptiness are working
The Dog Star 
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