Breathing in the air
in the sauna
with almost
pursed lips
like rehearsing
a whistle
or a kiss
the air is
hot
and the slow
steady stream
of the hot air
begin to burn
the inside of my
lips
and the tip
of my tongue
What I notice
is that my capacity
to breathe in
is greater
than my
breathing out
And then
it occurs to me
that you have
changed me
in the same
way
Closing my eyes
I also test
my breath
and the phenomenological
temporal effect
during this
breathing
watching me is the
chronometric
reality
of the clock on the wall.
It reminds me
that there are multiple
temporalities
in each day
Mine
Yours
the chronometric
The shooting stars
that heralded the cosmic
time of our time
together
Has been reminded us of
all past times
coming into our
now
but it is also
true
that chronometric time
must be present
in all life
even ours.
I was sweating out
my sins of the day
A tinge of darkness
made me seek
the heat
a kind of penitence
for unwise words
from the beginning of
the day
it was a moment of
weakness
What I need to do
is be braver
not be afraid of the
darkness.
I am more resolved
than ever
to meet the challenge
of the ravages of
chronometric time
as well.
Through it
will come other
moments when
I will show myself
to be human too
and you will
again be mad
and I all I ask
is for
you to give me
the benefit of
the doubt
and you’ll
see
eventually
a time
in which
that clock
watching us
in our room
will show as many
days and nights
years
as the cosmic
clock in our hearts.

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