I wanted

to be

the dog but the dog

was too busy being the dog

I wanted to

be

the city but the city

was busy being

all those lights and steel

I

wanted to be

the mountain glacier but

the mountain glacier was too busy

melting and remembering when

it swept up across the landscape

I wanted to be

the cloud the sky but the cloud

was and the sky would not

relinquish its sets and rises

I wanted to be anything

but the sick and quarantined

but that is me

and so I must be the sick person

remembering to breathe

breathe breathe breathe

rest and get better

oh I did want to be

the cat but the cat

was busy being the cat

I wanted to be Santoka

but he would have

found the idea worth

but a laugh over sake

(it takes one to know one

Santoka who said if I can be

Santoka that will be enough)

I wanted

to be

zen but

zen was busy being zen

(and the analysis of any zen

practice ends up being decidedly

un zen)

I wanted to be

I wanted to be

I wanted to be

I wanted to be

I wanted to be buddha but

wantedwantedwantedwanted

wantedwantedwantedwant

edwantedwantedwantedwa

ntedwant

I WANTED TO BE

to be

bebebebebe

bebebebebebe

to be

breathinkscarwordfurpawclawfeather

fernconiferneedleleaffighoneybeecolibrí

pintaverdeonthewingwithapinkcorona

not quarantined

woodentrunkelephantbonebonsai

gardenharmonicawaterorcacardinalex

plodingballofgas