no further consolation

he awoke, 

opened his eyes. 

the room meant very little to him; 

he was too deeply immersed in the non-being from which he had just come. 

if he had not the energy to ascertain his position in time and space, he also lacked the desire. 

he was somewhere, 

he had come back through vast regions from nowhere; 

there was the certitude of an infinite sadness at the core of his consciousness, 

but the sadness was reassuring, 

because it alone was familiar. 

he needed no further consolation. 

in utter comfort, utter relaxation he lay absolutely still for a while, 

and then sank back into one of the light momentary sleeps that occur after a long, profound one.    

paul bowles    

excerpted from   the sheltering sky