I don’t stand behind anything. I stand
before, above, upon, athwart, beyond.
Perhaps your mortal speech must correspond
to fixed categories, but please understand
I am not a mortal, I’m a brand,
self-contained and self-defined, a bond
self-issued and self-paid, and a natural blond.
Small men perceive mere truth as reprimand.
But truth is like the cat the fellow put
into the box, at once alive and dead;
simply a glance can change the very nature
of a thing: the truth can’t win a game or foot
a bill. When will you get it through your head:
your eternal truths are merely nomenclature.
What is it, the truth?
Did you order the code red?
You are goddamn right I did!
but he promised us, “it’s gonna be great!”
It will be great. For family, buddies, connected people! Really great! Ivanka is already benefiting.
I’ve always hated the phrase “speaking truth to power”. How stupid can people get. Power makes its own reality even if it isn’t real.
Came here via a Michael Pollack tweet… after reading The Poseidon Misadventure, I couldn’t help but read your poem aloud… greatly appreciated, made my morning.