"How We Could Spend Time"

we could for example

burrow

smear ourselves

sneakily into the top of the hierarchical bureau

arrange the papers

reverse the ones and oughts

such that

a hollow hole gaping

swallowed up all of the lentils

which the peasants had patiently

placed on the stoop

thinking

they were for everyone’s good


or

we could

wander through between among the grasses shrubs tall trees

alongside children brothers sisters

old old elders too pausing awaiting their shuffling gait

til they attained us

and all of us could then and would wonder

at the infinite sun-struck leafiness

feathering our eyes


or

we could sit

in the piazza lazily

our collective rumps you and I and they

all around an impossibly small circular black iron table

the metallic top of which would be

pierced with diamond spade club like holes

reminiscent

of a deck of cards

quite crowded

with our espresso cups

and there

we would spend time


or

as the roman languages say it

pass

the seconds minutes hours days months years

you can keep spinning out the tape as you wish

but in fact

we know

that

time

would spend us