God's Tattoo

without legs
you cannot walk
without eyes
you cannot see
without hands
you cannot touch

the end of the bed
is lifeless
it is only the end of the bed

the end of the driveway
is lifeless
it is only the place where the driveway ends

it enters the road
the road is only the road
it leads no where
it goes no where
to go someone must choose to go
to return
someone must choose to return

eyes do not look out
objects do not appear
things are and the reflected light cast images of form and color upon
rods and cones
transmitted to the brain
it understands the line and form

repetition distinguishes line and form into categories of things
things are labeled
language is applied
but actually
everything is what it is
seeing it
touching it
means nothing

a man may dream of seeing even when blind
imagine touch even without hands
and though we walk alone
we are not traveling

we are without legs
blind
and unfeeling

we imagine that we matter
we imagine community
we imagine
and expect that tomorrow
it will be so

it never was
and it never will be

we are vapor

i have no legs
i have no eyes
i cannot feel

you do not see me
you do not feel me
you were never here
so you cannot go away.

therefore,
i will not miss you.

where there is no life
there can be no death.

(upon God's arm
there is a tattoo -
it is a tiny red heart outlined in black
with an arrow
beneath it reads -
"in memory of ..."