Probably Been There and Likely Done That

by Kent Oswald

Today I woke in wonder if in previous lives I lived as an Egyptian king or a turtle; a Han Dynasty slave or jujube; an Amazon warrior or belly button lint; a black-plagued medieval European farrier or butterfly. Matter, and so I assume the essence of me based on Lavoisier's’ discovery of the conservation of mass, is neither created nor destroyed. I must have been, am and will be. Whatever. Later today I’ll still sit across from my daughter in our usual corner of the Ambrosia Diner and listen to her tell me I don’t know what I am talking about. I have heard it before, trust me.

6S

Kent Oswald instructs and learns at CUNY.