Fully Formed Failure

This morning,
here,
on this toilet, trying
to shit this transformation of the universe
into this transient pool of hidden water--
the fields of grain
and herds of cows
and gardens of spices
and factories of workers
that went into Yumiko's raviolis last night--
I give up
and will carry this body of the buddha
for a few more hours,
letting it culminate later
into the event of perfection I can imagine
will be similar
to this
fully formed failure.


by jerry gordon