the old man left the room before
I had time to express my astonishment
at hearing him use such extraordinary
resonant, non-languid language.

here i was perched to give
the death-blow to my chances
of hopefully converting him
as tho he's every lost tribe of Israel.

even the queen petitioned the king
and made him give his pardons
to consorts who were unlike-thinkers;
anticipating change lifted my spirits.

all sorts of wandering thoughts
keep coming into my head,
at length i come upon a grove,
there i lay my thoughtful spine.

knowing i cannot bear with people
who think differently from me,
i look thru half-closed eyelids
for the refiner's transforming fire.

so don't give me nice things
to smell and to eat, instead
give me words that the old man said
and let me become as wise as he.

10/17/2005