the hardship
was undergone by others,
we identified with them
and, if the danger was survived
by simpler life forms,
they’re included in this moment
when the credits roll
and we don’t know
when to stand
The Ether
We’re out
past the end
game where things
get fuzzy,
less thingy,
though in past times
we practiced
precision
concrete as a slot machine.
But to be precise
you need to stop
a moment
which turns out to be
impracticable
and besides
speed is of the essence.
Don’t worry.
“Of” can take care
of itself
and it’s fine
to say “essence”
now that it’s understood
to mean ether,
a kind of filler
made either
of inattention
or absorption
somewhere near
the Planck length
What We Can Say
1
“The traumatized rats practiced excessive self-grooming.”
Thinking is practice.
The idea that we can improve
is a form of self-grooming.
Adjusting to the rapidly changing orientations
of figures on a screen
can feel like having a succession of ideas,
each of which must be incorporated
into our current attitude.
To incorporate change without disorientation
is to win.
2
“Ideas link things in novel ways.”
We might say that music
attempts to make time
into space—visualizable, repeatable.
(We may have said this previously.)
Or we may say music
attempts to make space into time
so that between the current
stances of the musicians
there exists something like flow.
But there is really no direction
in comparison,
only the desire
that two entities
become one,
as if reduction in number
were the purpose
of all thought.
3
Though it’s also true
that one gets bored.
Voices
You’re boring, people.
America doesn’t want
to watch you sleep.
America doesn’t want to hear you
think about tacos.
–
Men in uniforms
are clubbing onlookers.
I’ve been informed
this is all for show.
These are not real
audience members.
Overhead
Sleep is insistent
voices, mine
or anyone’s,
running
some scam.
Peace is empty
