DuChamp and I

it was the
autumn 1967
when I played chess
with Duchamp
in Washington Square
Park

He told me of
the two Fridas,
the duo Borges,
their hellish existence
and shaking a rook
in my face
he said
and there's
two of you as
well

I asked him what he meant

well,
he said

it's now '67
and you won't
be born for another
two years
so right now
you are a pre zygote
but when 1969 rolls around
you will be born
miles away from here
and you'll be a Gemini
...the twins...
you'll be good and sober
sometimes
but you'll also be
a nasty drunk
who is in love with himself

I asked him which one will come
out the winner

it doesn't matter really, he said ...
either way
you will kill yourself
with a razor in the bathtub
when you are 46 years old

and with that
his bishop took my queen
and I was placed in checkmate

the game was over