The Desire to Be Oneself

--Homero Aridjis (trans. George McWhirter)

                                                                   (After Kafka)

If you could be a horseman riding

bareback through the winds and rains

on a transparent horse

constantly buffeted

by the velocity of your mount

if you could ride hard

until your clothes were cast off far behind you

because there is no need of clothes

until reins were done with

because there is no need of reins

until your shadow was cast far behind you

because there's no need of a shadow

and then you might see countryside not as countryside

but a fistful of air

if only you could cast the horse far behind you

and ride on, on yourself