the proverbial glass
it sits there on our table
the Great Divider
clear and simple
crystalline and sparkling
we let it sort us, teach us,
define our personal involvement
we let it paint us opti or pessi
in this mist of not knowing
no longer whole
our table is now two sided
and our debate rages on
which is more realistic?
"it's not empty, but it's not full"
"it's not full, but it's not empty"
you must choose a side
half of us cry
half of us cheer
jumping up and down
making noises like excited apes
meanwhile reality continues
unaware of our soap opera
indifferent and undivided
without excess or lack
we're the only ones who take sides
who see too much or not enough,
benevolence or malevolence,
through our fantasies of hope and fear
so involved with our struggle
we miss reality completely
making mountains out of nothing
to feed our personal dramas
to feel some sense of accomplishment
of struggle and satisfaction
of conquering nonexistent demons
of success and control
there is nowhere to get to
nothing is ever missing
nothing can ever be better
life is not benevolent or malevolent
it just is
simple in its completeness
this glass is always
precisely as full as it needs to be
everything else is our noise
our false self in reaction
our personal soap opera
a flea trying to steer
this immense dragon of life