the fortune cookie proclaims
to me, at a moment of great
confusion,
"Your love life will be happy
and harmonious"

and i find myself wondering about
the nature of these little pastries
and how the wise man
knows
that this is exactly what I need?

I suppose that
is what makes him
the wise man.

because if i cracked open the cookie
at the end of that meal
and it read,
"Your love life will extinguish
in the glory of hell's
fiery oceans,"
I would feel much less
satisfied
with my
beef and broccoli
and with my
cold steamed rice