'A Model of the Universe' or 'The Nihilism of Zen'

This poem is long; it makes sense though, and I therefore reckon it is worth reading. Thing is, maybe the reason for it making sense, is that it points towards the idea of letting nothing make sense – the nihilism of Zen …

A Model of the Universe
What we want is a model a model of the universe
That includes everything leaving nothing out
Yet is completely different fresh unique holding nothing in
common
With any of its constituent elements
Yet is not strange exotic and does not make us feel
uncomfortable
What we want is a model f the universe that we can
Read about in a magazine article with pictures
Yet it can’t be just another magazine article and it can’t
Be in a regular magazine this magazine will glow as
it shimmers before our eyes
What we want is a model of the universe that will answer all
our questions
To which we can refer for all sorts of advice
To foretell the future cure bursitis get rich quick aphrodisiac
etc.
And will be absolutely foolproof one hundred percent of the
time
What we want is a model of the universe
That we can talk to coyly we can drop our eyelids at
Plump our lips begin the sniffle
And it will pat our shoulders say “there there dear” grow
sad and droopy itself
But without ever really losing it’s composure or assurance
What we want is a model of the universe so complex we can
never understand it
So simple we can grasp it in a glance and explain it to our
friends via a few simple sentences
What we want is a model of the universe
Which once in our possession becomes identified so
strikingly with us
That we become internationally famous with our names
Household words the meaning of our doing and saying
An eternally living legacy around which all subsequent
culture is organised
What we want is a model of the universe we can count on
time after time
Yet is never tiring never predictable eternally new
What we want is a model of the universe that is better than
someone else’s model of the universe
That makes their model of the universe look really pale by
comparison although
Only we realize this we and our intimate friends
But our model of the universe is also better than the
Model of the universe of even our intimate friends
Although the fact of the matter is that no one but us really
Posseses a model of the universe it is our own little secret
However we write poems about it that strike others as
Infinitely suggestive and profound but since this makes us
feel lonely
We want a model for the universe that everyone understands
We want a model of the universe that explains everything
Yet doesn’t take the mystery out of anything in fact adds
mystery
Even to the simplest of daily actions a model of the universe
that
Keeps us fit and eating delicate and healthy foods
A model of the universe in which we appear never
overweight nor old
Yet we don’t want to actually appear in this model of the
universe
We want to be beyond it holding it in our hand looking at it
from a distance
Yet we don’t want to feel alien from it either we want love
We want a model of the universe in which we can always
stay home
Yet be able to travel whenever we want to remote places
Where all foreign languages are actually English
Though they never lose their ethnic charm
What we want is a model of the universe
Contiguous with the total shape of time
So that it neither begins nor ends is neither something nor
nothing
What we want is a model of the universe in which
This poem therefore never ends and in which it never began

- NORMAN FISCHER

(From: "What Book!? Buddha Poems From Beat to Hiphop", Gary Gach (editor), Berkley, California, 1998)