In deep with time –
travelling companion on the way
parsing the curved paths
dividing the light of the sun
meting out portions of the moon:

“There you may go but
not there, never there.”

A ghost tramples before
and behind, catching
at my heels, breathing
down my skinny neck, creeping
cunning fellow taps
on my shoulder –
when I turn around
like the oldest joke he is
not there, never there.

---

July 21, 2016 – Portland, Oregon

The image came to me from a Facebook posting but I cannot find good attribution.  I cropped out attribution of the quote to Buddha because my online research did not show that he actually said/wrote this. Nevertheless, the quote – which can be found in many places in the webiverse – is evocative, if a bit “deepity.”

Finally, something obvious – too obvious for verse: Do I have time or does time have me?