Poetry
Could / Would
Caution: Contains Words
What if I could scream as loudly as the voices in my head?
It would shatter every window and awaken all the dead;
it would rush into the places where the angels fear to tread
and split the sky.
What if I could spin the planet like my gyroscopic mind?
It would wobble in a way that left the seasons misaligned;
it would spin so recklessly that it would struggle to unwind,
then liquefy.
What if I could show my thoughts to anyone who cared to see?
I would have them sign a waiver, lest exposure to pure me
causes heretofore unstudied forms of psychic injury;
it’s practical.
What if I could comment out some code and not know any fear?
Would it coax this old transmission to get out of second gear?
Would it overturn some judgments that were overly severe
or tactical?
What if I could learn the truth about whatever thing I chose?
Is there succor in uncertainty denied to one who knows?
Is cognition just cold comfort to apply to any blows
you may receive?
