April 30, 2004

simple forms evolve

Sometimes, when you live in the world, you have to wait for things you want. And I hate that. I’m impatient. I get restless. I want to find the cure, like right now! I don’t mind waiting in line so much though. Like say at the Post Office. I don’t mind that at all, in fact. In a line there’s always someone to talk to. Plus, if I’m at the Post Office it’s because I’m shipping someone a CD, and that makes me feel peaceful -- the very best kind of peaceful -- kind of like writing poetry, or listening to The The’s Mindbomb on headphones. Choose your music. Here’s a poem for you.

Your voice amplifies on its way into me.
There are no more stones
You claim with certainty.
We live in stories, you will see, I say.

So what if you believe in work
That I am still supposed to do?
We are here, it’s hard, and
I’m not doing it very well.

Even the simplest forms evolve
Out of my reach.
Remarkably like children
We seduce ourselves in new directions.

I want to recover, but all I do is rest.
And I can’t say most of the time
Just what it is I’ve lost.
I calculate, but can’t resist
The music of this failure.