In Every Life
Alicia Ostriker

In every life there’s a moment or two
when the self disappears, the cruel wound
takes over, and then again
at times we are filled with sky
or with birds or
simply with the sugary tea on the table
said the old woman

I know what you mean said the tulip（郁金香）
about epiphanies（主显节）
for instance a cloudless April sky
the approach of a butterfly
but as to the disappearing self
no
I have not yet experienced that

You are creating distinctions（区别，荣誉）
that do not exist in reality
where "self" and "not-self" are like salt
in ocean, cloud in sky
oxygen in fire
said the philosophical（哲学的，冷静的） dog
under the table scratching his balls