Why are there these obvious truths we somehow never see?
Why don’t you see the obvious, which is terribly obvious to me?
Why do you court ignorance, and not study the history?
Why dance a certain dance and not ask, what is dance?
Why do you think you know, and never give yourself a second chance
To better know, to winnow, to sort, to observe, to enhance?
Why do you practice such certainty?
Why do you fear doubt, which is your greatest friend?
Why are you certain there is no God and everything will end?
Why do you receive and receive, but never think to send?
When I was bullied in school, I didn’t say a word,
Because I believed that bullying was absolutely absurd,
Like fighting yourself—so I crept away and wrote a word,
And studied it, and wrote a poem I called, “Absurd.”
And showed it to my father, who couldn’t figure it out.
I said it was a poem, but he frowned in complete doubt.
He asked me about the bully. The real bully. The real lout.
He told me, “If a bully picks on you, put him in his place.”
He said, “Protect yourself. Punch him. Wipe certainty off his face.
Poems…? Listen, they won’t change the human race.”
And that began my poetic career;
I questioned poetry. As I am questioning here.
Distance, indifference. Middle distance, beauty. Up close, fear.
Haven’t you noticed beauty in a person disappears up close?
A face is beautiful, until you just look at the nose.
I need perspective, discernment, measurement, dose.
Why would you fail to experiment? Why would you fail to question all?
Not study love like a scientist before you wound and fall?
And finally, why would you play a tall person, if you aren’t tall?
It all doesn’t come from you. Life exists in a certain way.
Limits exist. Know when to rebel, and when to obey.
If the sea and the wind and the sun say so, stay.
Why are there these obvious truths we always somehow ignore?
Because they are hidden by your thoughts? Because they don’t reassure?
Don’t look for reassurance. Look for the one
Thing so obvious you don’t see it. You’re not done.