Five Moments of Half-Truth

1

Some lawns on this dying planet

are green; some are desert.

We joke about increasing pinches

of crimson-colored dust

in the soft summer air.

2

Do not look to the skies

for swelling signs

of a swiftly approaching angry red planet.

We live on a ball of slowly matching color.

In the Great Sumerian Lexicon

“Earth” is now a synonym for “Mars.”

3

"Black Lives Matter.”

No offense, but it sounds funny

to the ears of a blind monk

taught that both black and white

connote an absence of color.

4

"It does haven’t to be this way,”

Roshi says after two hours of sitting.

Why is he weeping?

“Today I had to choose between

staying behind to pray for mankind

or staying put in paradise

and wait for you to arrive.”

5

“What’s heaven like?” I ask Roshi.

“Why do you ask?” he responds.

“I could have sworn

your were seated beside me.”

— David Federman, 6/19/20