Ways of Knowing

Go to the poets—your mind will be fed.
You’ll be lifted to mystery mysticy places.
Or go to the Scholars—they’ll muddle your head.
They’ll darken your eyes and wrinkle your faces.


Will you visit the alleys, the sages, the kids,
Or the ivory towers and other such places?
Will you look for trends on the back of your eyelids,
Or see the patterns in front of your faces?

Read a handbook of facts and know nothing at all,
Learn tidbits, statistics, remain unaware,
Or smell the flowers of Spring and the musk of the Fall
Climb a mountain and speak to the man you find there.

Interpret the comics and all will be clear,
just don’t confuse facts with the things that hold true,
Or read the front headlines of crime and of fear
And listen to experts ramble and spew.

If the issue at hand is strange and unknown,
Ponder the questions and answers, or leave them alone,
But if you think that your eyes are the way you can know it,
I pity your soul. You must needs go ask a poet.