The Death of Empedocles

Five fingers on each hand, five
toes on each foot, that's enough.

I get into the past
which has a different kind of dust on it.


There's an old Coke bottle with dust on it
behind the bust of I think Empedocles—

Nobody from the neck down. O
Empedocles, don't jump into that volcano!

But jump he did, with his whole body,
bouncing off the rocks on the way down.

And you call this a philosopher?
I don't think he set a very good example.

Ron Padgett