After Jorge Louis Borges, The Book of Imaginary Beings, ‘The Sphinx’ (1974)

ART BY MICHELLE DARLING

IN THE MORNING
SOMETIMES,
I FIND MY STOMACH DROOPS
INTO A SPHYNX HALF,
AND MY NEW FEATHERS
CRACK
THEIR CARBON SHEATH.

I ASKED THE MAN
LAYING BESIDE ME:

WHAT HAS FOUR LEGS,
TWO LEGS,
THREE LEGS,
AND THE MORE LEGS IT HAS
THE WEAKER IT IS,
AND IF YOU DON’T ANSWER,
I’LL EAT YOU
AND AFTER I’M DONE,
I’LL HAVE HAD MY BREAKFAST.

UNREMARKABLY,
I DON’T MOVE QUIETLY,
INSTEAD I HAVE TO CRAWL
AND MY TAIL
IS THE LAST
TO SLINK OUT OF BED
AND IS THE
PART OF ME
THAT HANGS IN DOORWAYS
ALREADY PASSED THROUGH.