I have seen all things the one
existent headless serpent
thing often called the many of the one
by faces or faceless voices one
gruesome host of headless necks devoid and
Void of face or voice of any sort; I have seen something
some voice or face and dread devours my liver.

I have heard all sounds the one
sound that deafens the heavens
though I have heard the one
sound and I hear only that one
sound that deadens the sky
The deafness soothes as it shrieks and I, dumb,
I shriek unheard in this busy, empty world.

I have tasted all desires, the one
desire that feeds the many
the desire desire itself the one
desire that desires desiring only one
desires only self and swallowing self
He is long become dust in my heart, my void
The desire, a blazing fire, gone to a tepid indolence.

I have felt all skins, the one
skin wrapping flesh my flesh all flesh
the only flesh, the one
gripping the neckflesh of the many that is one
the one who many headless slithers
Numbness spreads, my fingers fumble,
I longer feel the blood under his skin.

There is no smell except the one
smell of cold wood fires
there is but the one
smell which sheathes all smells but one
smell which is no smell at all
I miss that smell, the color of twilight soot,
I miss this smell—

But I will miss him most of all.