V. Letter to the Editor

  'Those who do not last are always

  more beloved

  since no one has to see them in their long,

  dull,

  unrelenting,

  no-quarter-given-and-no-quarter-received,

  fights

  that they make to do something as they believe it should be done

  before they die.

  Those who die

  or quit early and easy

  and with every good reason

  are preferred

  because they are understandable and human. Failure and well-

  disguised cowardice

  are more human

  and more beloved.'

  I. The Magazine

  He to die,

  I to fight,

  both as lost as lovers lost

  at sea,

  drowning and

  drowning longer than normal

  and will we ever

  surface?

  III. Conversatio

  Leave the coffin there,

  if you prefer,

  oh yes, please take your place in line,

  or,

  if you're not there yet

  and you prefer,

  our universe advances

  on the void

  it grows

  IV. The Whisper

  "praise Him, sun and moon, praise

  Him all you

  shining stars. Praise Him

  you Highest Heavens and you

  Waters Above the Skies"

  III. Conversatio

  space

  grows into space

  water seeks the lower place

  II. The Meal

  (catch it! catch it! get a towel or it'll cover the table and drip to the floor it's okay it's just a spill but hurry still oh come on hurry still)

  III. Conversatio

  Our universe advances

  on the void

  that vomited Leviathan on out

  and will again,

  but expanding is sufficient for

  the growing presupposes

  germinated seed

  that is and was and will be

  being.

  To stand at that edge, the lip

  of universe, to march being forth

  into non-being, an ex-nihilo bayonet

  II. The Meal

  (leave it in a little bowl to the side, please, I prefer to keep the blades from mixing with my meals)

  III. Conversatio

  charge and watch void voided,

  veto non-being

  alone on the frontline...

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  . What is nothing, per se?

  . Nothing -- as such --

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