The Placeless

From where do I come
Wherein do I reside
As what do I live
And to what do I return

I must answer these questions —
And hereby
I do

I come from the same place
Reside in the same place
And live in the same place
And return to the same place

And that same place
Is not a place —
Not a space, nor time
Not in this world, nor outside
Not inside, nor outside
Not here, nor there
Neither a place — nor the absence of a place

Where all words and concepts cease
When all noises and voices —
And the sounds of engines and wheels
Going somewhere or coming from somewhere —
Die down
When all the supernovas have burned out
All universes died down
All volcanoes erupted
All depths seen
When all bodies are but corpses
All corpses but rocks
All rocks but fire
All fire but wind —
And all wind is but this breath

This little flicker of light
This slight touch on the keyboard
This little exhale — this whisper of air
Beneath this nose

When all that’s left —
After all is gone
Is right here
Imperceptible and unknown
Unseen — and felt
Whether by this skin
Or that

Then —
Where are all the questions
And the questioners