Tell Me About One

The ocean
is one.

This woman’s body
and this man’s body
is one.

Or woman woman
man man,
all is one.

This child’s white sock
on the toe of the father
is one.

Language
and the tongue it rolls from
is one.

The eye of the tiger
and the tiger
is one.

The sound of the harp
and the harp
is one.

The graze of a finger
and the whole hand
is one.

The rustle of wind
and the leaves that rustle
is one.

The schoolyard
and the school children
is one.

Mountain above ground
and mountain beneath ground
is one.

Death by bus in Calcutta
and stillborn
is one.

The bone of an elephant
and the cell quiver
is one.

Going away from me
and returning
is one.

Cry of anguish
cry of love
is one.

Tomorrow
and a thousand years
is one.

To hold
and to forget
is one.

Your yes
and your no
is one.

God
and all the others
is one.