Χάρων

Charon’s Cosmology:

With only his dim lantern   

To tell him where he is

And every time a mountain   

Of fresh corpses to load up

Take them to the other side

Where there are plenty more

I’d say by now he must be confused   

As to which side is which

I’d say it doesn’t matter

No one complains he’s got

Their pockets to go through

In one a crust of bread in another a sausage

Once in a long while a mirror   

Or a book which he throws   

Overboard into the dark river   

Swift and cold and deep

Charles Simic.