Define emptiness.

Take from it that terrifying essence
the void-
              leave nothing that was
and replace it all with truth.

Your truth,
as well as you know it.

The shape of the earth,
the way light works,
right,
wrong,
what direction to face-
when all is lost.
Find any truth to place there
and keep it from getting cold.

That chill-
                is cancerous.

Though you can take on the abyss
none can suffer its existence
                            in the periphery.
Reflected sarcasm
the deep inhale between bouts of laughter-

cancerous.