ZERO PLUS ANYTHING IS A WORLD

Four less one is three.

Three less two is one.

One less three

is what, is who,

remains.

The first cell that learned to divide

learned to subtract.

Recipe:

add salt to hunger.

Recipe:

add time to trees.

Zero plus anything

is a world.

This one

and no other,

unhidden,

by each breath changed.

Recipe:

add death to life.

Recipe:

love without swerve what this will bring.

Sister, father, mother, husband, daughter.

Like a cello

forgiving one note as it goes,

then another.