You start them cold or let them warm in air.
You poke a hole in each, or maybe not.
You put the eggs in water, or you spare
them till it’s seething, simmering and hot.
Attempting to maintain the heat you got,
perhaps you then contend with cracks as well,
a blooming white that ribbons in the pot.
And finally you try removing shell.
(Huitain)
The ego strokes for which you lust
are gossamer at best.
They’ll scatter light as cotton dust
and clutter up your nest.
A testimonial can blur
assessment of yourself.
Awards will tarnish and confer
congestion on your shelf.
The finest judge of you is you,
to sanction or commend.
Self-validation is your due.
Now get to work, my friend.
It wasn’t that I rated being smart.
You never had to rally to combat
a prejudice. You took too much to heart.
It wasn’t that.
The fact is I’m attracted to eclat,
but IQ doesn’t have to play a part —
a boring interaction leaves me flat.
I think we got distracted from the start,
conflating high intelligence with chat
about a subject gripping as Descartes.
It wasn’t that.
(Roundel)
The longer I’m alive, the more I know
the quality I value most of all.
It isn’t seeking love or leisure’s slow
procession, and I’m not in money’s thrall.
I treasure courtesy. What makes me glow
is thoughtfulness, consideration. Maul
my time with rudeness and I’ll swiftly go.
What I describe as culture’s benefit
is smooth, and not concerned with etiquette.
I don’t even like him but that’s no excuse to stay mute.
I’ll fantasize good conversations together instead.
Reality often can pale and leave ears destitute,
so I will continue our dialogue inside my head.
For that’s where he asks me the questions about my repute,
when I can describe where my private experience led.
So thank you but no, I do not want a dinner with him.
I’ll bide where I’m living and talk to myself till I’m dim.
Not talented enough for affectation.
Not smart enough to be so arrogant.
I’m sorry (not) for this evaluation,
but that’s the gotcha concept that I meant.
My phrasing is exaggerated, bent
to grab attention to this shining fact:
that talent has a clear and clean intent,
and real intelligence displays with tact.
(Huitain)
I cherish your opinions more than most,
until you tell me you evaluate
this guy as uber-smart, and also boast
your son to be ingenious. I can rate
intelligence. I frightened both my folks.
And teachers were a little awed by me.
I grew to where I eagerly took tokes
to dumb existence, for equality.
I never try to rank intelligence.
A person’s either smart enough, or not.
Taxonomy of loved ones makes no sense
to me – what use is level, rank, or slot?
They neither are as bright as you assert.
Your statements only set you up to hurt.
How dare you treat her like she’s making noise,
who had a rare occasion to feel glee
with someone she six times a year enjoys,
in walking talking and a drink or three.
She gets few breaks from caring for you boys,
so back off now and let the woman be
the powerhouse obnoxious and beloved.
Your jealousy and anger should be shoved.
(Ottava Rima)
Omitted for your politics?
Your singledom? Or why?
It might be something you could fix,
if you’d admit a try.
Instead I hear for all events,
a reason to exclude.
It’s not about intelligence,
but nasty attitude.
I like the train for the diversity,
and also cause it lets me drive nowhere,
but sometimes a repellant quality
confronts and makes the journeying unfair.
The mass I noticed in the bathroom sink
was not a bean puree, I dread to think,
and though the toilet bowl was feet away,
some dumper deigned to leave that gross array.
I pressed ahead, embarking on the train.
The car was almost empty, clean enough
(in spite of fellow travelers looking rough).
I felt secure and able to maintain
composure, though the rider several feet
from me left nasty pooling on his seat.
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