Chuang Tzu
asked the skull: what
do you want?
The skull
said: to be
rushing among
all those
who seem
still tumbling
from bed, to shower,
to street, to work,
hair still wet.
The river wind
must feel even fresher
for them,
a cold crown
to their
thoughts,
as they marvel
at the day’s news
about minerals
found on meteorites…
I want to be,
the skull said,
back in
New York.