In hell suffered much for seeing people
In heaven but rejoiced whenever one
In heaven fell and joined them in hell,
While the people in heaven also suffered
Despite all the heavenly wonderfulness
Because, from the moment they arrived
They could see hell and think for themselves
That is where I am going to fall. Resting
On the heavenly banks of the Virgin
And smelling from across the water
The sun-warmed cattle patties of the cows
From hell, body relaxed enough to read
A book review of three new texts explaining
Why humans can't be swayed by facts
That don't support what we think we already
Know, although we're excellent critics
Of the flaws in opposing arguments.
It seems we evolved to cooperate, silly, not
To make any sense. Only a kind
Of carefully pitched homeostatic technique,
Say, science, has a prayer of a chance
To keep our myside lies and furies opposed
So that everyone gets roundly criticized
And the winning deconstructions actually
Win. I'd say that for culture science was kin
To the moment in the evolution of life
When cells first actively locomoted
By pushing within and against themselves
To bestir their pulsing walls to budge.
Once that trick was accomplished, progress
Meant something, jaws, armor, and flight.
Attack and escape were on their way.
Lost in this abstracted reverie, this bliss
In which body could fantasize a godlike
Perspective on deep time, I felt a breeze
Caress my old skull the way a teasing kid
Or an exasperated spouse might tousle
My remaining thoughts, and I remembered
Where and when I was in my eroding life.
Spooked, I caught myself looking down
Into the vertiginous, schadenfreude-hungry,
Lost faces I imagined watching me back
From the waves, waiting eagerly for me
To cooperate, become one among them,
Become one with our side, the one that won.
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