Emotionless Truth, Emotional Truth

     Emotionless Truth,

       Emotional Truth

I tweak the Buddha’s nose.  He doesn’t seem

To care because of meditation or

Of stone.  The universe is merely dream

To him and marble.  There isn’t pain for

Gautama.  Curls like ice cream extruded

About his scalp have hardened.  They aren’t real,

Of course.  They’re rock shapes with peace included.

Perfection is a thing we cannot feel.

Though I can fondle perfect eyelid, brows,

And dot between them, actuality

They’re not.  The Buddha taught us to espouse

Holy numbness to unreality.

His pursed smile lips and topknot on his head

Imply our phantom flesh has never bled.

December 27, 2014