i meditate emptiness:

i am a lantern on the water
i am a raindrop about to land
i am a birthday candle
i am a wave against the shoal
i am utterly
alone

i am afraid to let go
i am scared of impermanence
shall my emotions afflict
my waking karmas
to despair?

i loathe loneliness.
it is the footprint of my fearing
doctrine, oh doctor, please assuage-
my chronic symptom: disappearing

i am a nothing
an irrevocable passing away

i feel it on the street
i hear it in the songs i play
i know it within my secret heart

and when you turn away.