The Veil

The Veil
by Rosemary French
there is a curtain of gauze over my head
that is lowered and raised periodically
by a pulley system
a highly astute monkey trails me with the appararatus
adjusting the ropes at the proper time
enabling a haze about my perception
and blocking my hands from tactile observation
the others find my handicap to be unwieldy
they show me instructional videos
“Shed the Shroud” was my favorite
but none have successfully shaken my reliance
on simultaneously being present and absent
together and alone