Body / Self

A stretch of skin
inside billions of lives bacteria amoeba virus
parasite protozoa worm fungi bug

fields of subtle power

ways of communicating mysterious
tiny worlds in galaxies of tiny worlds
epic battles against invaders
scars and strategies
passed down through generations
loves and hates and matings wild
births and deaths at millions a moment
unknowable to the entity
I

The illusion of my and self—
whether white blood cells marshal their troops in time
whether a fine flowing strand of DNA mutates
or doesn’t whether the big bang of the heartbeat
goes on banging or goes
silent

How it feels to a universe

How it feels to be a god
living, creating, fragile
lifespan determined by beings only guessed at
who may believe they are part of some bigger plan
or may not

If their fate determines their god’s?

Obsession with myself

what a laugh

what a self, to depend on worlds

that do not depend upon self

What a universe! What a god!