what if we had clear skin a see-through chest a translucent skull suffering would be apparent and if they could measure loneliness, lovelessness, guilt and grief, how obvious our problems then the next step would whittle down to remedies and cures except for those who for deep and distant reasons wish to remain unwell even when a slice of the sun sits on a plate, reflects off a fork and into hungry eyes

old man, head slumped sits in a chair legs between his walker his breath tells the story chest flex on the inhale big sigh with the release more than most here, his suffering must wait I wonder if it comes in a moment, the voice that whispers life is too much, just let go, or need it get louder almost shouted before it’s heard? I slip past him glide with a nurse to a back room my wellness exam quick, painless, my blood’s marker for the kidneys, a little high he’s gone when I

all those glorious temples and old churches, museums of antiquities and art, every ancient place of myth and lore and truly, every wonder of the world never matched that hug by the fan-selling old woman in China playing hackie sack in a circle of Balinese or talking life at the table of a Cuban family I am crazy about connection love meeting people with questions about their family where they work and live, eventually finding the moment when walls crack and I get a peek