Surface

Superficial, they say,
that's the problem -
not looking deeply enough
into the murky depths of things,
avoiding the real source of the problem
by sticking to the surface.
What is depth,
but one surface piled
upon the next?
And when you cut through
the layers of an onion
(crying all the time)
and get to the deepest part,
the core -
it is still 
just another
piece of onion. 
The surface is where things happen
quickly,
where life happens,
where two worlds meet,
where you can touch and kiss,
the surface
is
what is.
You skate on top of the ice,
not inside it.
Everything on your surface
is indicative of whatever
supposedly lies deeper:
your reactions,
your expressions,
your very clothing,
your grooming habits.
Someone skilled at surfaces
can read your image and know
what kind of person you are,
how you appoint your home,
how you treat yourself,
how you treat others.
Are you worthy of hire?
Were you raised gently?
They evaluate your shoes
and inspect your teeth.
Are you kind to others?
How do you treat the help?
Shakefeel the hand and up close
a quick whiff of the breath.
How do you choose to present yourself?
How do you see others' self-presentation?
You select a picture,
you make remarks.
I stare at my navel,
you ask me
what am I thinking
I answer
I am contemplating void
and you say
that's deep,
but it means
that I'm thinking
about nothing.