Reprieves

Left alone
Upon the planet
No humans, animals
No relationships to maintain
Who would you be

Without imagining
Being this, or that

You would be
Neither anyone nor anything —
Without effort
To become, uphold
Or show — a self

Still being — form
Biology, temperament, preferences
Ways of sensing, thinking
Moving

You would be —
Without self, no self
For no one
Fully and completely
Yourself

Upon returning —
To the ordinary world

You would fall back
Automatically, unconsciously
From being
Fully yourself

To becoming
This, or that —
For each one, of the other
Family or stranger

Which
Even if spontaneous, as driving
Is attended
By awareness

Of yourself, no self
Using attention — concentration
To maintain and perform
Multiple selves — none
Yourself

Drink, drugs
Entertainment
Solitude and sleep

Would then be
Few reprieves
You would have

To be
Yourself