in walked a man in the shape of a man 
holding a hat-shaped hat 
he held up two fingers and said 'how many fingers?" 
and i said 'Peace man, that's where it's at" 
i said you are what you do in order to 
prevent becoming what you're busy not doing 
and if you do do it truly  
then you arrive at it newly 
then in the end you are absolved 
and the problem of heaven is solved 
 
and the man broke into a smile,  
like he was breaking into a song 
and he was broken and smiling  
and i was singing along 
and we agreed completely agreetly about most things 
'til the sun set sweetly  
like it does in those paintings 
the ones they hang in hotel rooms 
the ones they bolt to the wall 
as though anyone would want to steal them at all 
 
we talked like children without breathing 
'til i stopped this lady as she was leaving 
and i said 'excuse me, 
but do you know what time it would be  
if we were on mars ?' 
and she held up her hand  
like a crossing guard stopping the cars 
and she said  
five in the morning 
 
in walked a man  
in the shape of a man 
holding a hat shaped hat