Thursday, September 29, 2011

It Depends

It Depends

My answer to any question:
It depends.

All answers need annotation.
Show your

work, math teachers tell us,
and give credit

for the process and partial
truth-telling.

The deep end of experience
and knowledge

can be siphoned, spooned out
for us based

on what we have to hold it in.
How can

every action be equal, every
problem

solved and dissolved with one
word, one verb

or proverb smoothing over the
pockmarked

circumstance, as peanut butter
sliding onto

still-warm toast. The temperature
of the bread

matters, the type of peanut butter,
the knife.

Response depends upon the laws
of gravity,

which planet, which people and
what they know

of one another, the discussion
one just finished

at home and the just-diagnosed
gluten allergy

of the other, the season, the rain
that just let up

and the sharp, candied-citrus smell
of the detergent

on the rim of her glass as she raises
it to her mouth.

6 comments

  1. Parts of the spectrum, awesomely covered.

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  2. I agree, most rush to judgment, or the illusion that they've got the answer--because they haven't thought very hard about the questions. In short, Hamlet, Prufrock, and I agree that you're onto something big here. Trouble is, of course, it can to lead to paralysis.

    ReplyDelete
  3. There are no answers, only more questions.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love this poem. The concepts and the rhythm and sound of the words satisfy! It was a great way to start my morning!

    ReplyDelete
  5. So true, it all does depend on so many things...

    ReplyDelete

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