I Don't Know
“I don't know much of anything
about anything”
is a typical response
I give to difficult inquiries
-
Second guessing myself
has become first nature
And this is far more than the third time
I've read a poem too fast because I'm nervous
-
My nervous system is the only system I have
and I answer the questions I do know,
but it's not enough
The acidic feeling of insufficiency
rises in my choking throat,
like I'm going to be sick
-
I'm going to be sick
and I don't want the doctor's
anxiety medicine
Because although I've fought
some battles with my body,
I have faith in it's ability
to fulfill the role
of a strong piece of machinery
at least moreso
than a work of art
-
The doctor is bur oak,
The medicine is sturdy boughs,
The cure is soft grasses,
They won't tell me that I'm weak
when I cry so much
that I fear dehydration
They won't even dare to think it
