kali comes in the form of a cigarette,
and a thorn at the tip of your shoe
on a cold winter morning.
there you are, doing your mantra -
kali, kali, kali, kali, kali… -
fully aware of the death that
is your shadow and your breath.
with each pull, the flooding
of your lungs with tobacco smoke
is kali penetrating your physical body,
and with each pull you perish.
the exhale is a dance performed
by kali on the casket of your ego,
which is your body.