Poem: Learn The Difference

Learn The Difference

Be careful of those who say
this is the same as that
when one is not the same
as the other, but
beware that it is true
this is the same as that,
even when this is not
what that is, when this
is what it is and that
is what that is.  It can be true,
it can be that they are the same
in ways that you missed,
ways that are out of the way,
or that require ways of seeing
that are other than your way,
but it is also clear
some will say there is not a difference
when there is one, or there is one
when there is not, or they may think
you will believe this and that are the same
when they do not believe it
or when the reasons they think it is so
are not at all true in any way,
and it may still be
there is some other way
they are the same,
but it is not that,
it is a different thing.
You must know first,
if you do not know,
cannot tell, it is impossible
to be certain you can trust
what it is anyone has said,
even this is all lies,
or not, maybe, but
if I were to say
it would just muddle things more,
wouldn't it.  Besides,
there is a point 
when practice
must turn to action.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

A Writer's Notebook, Day Two-Hundred-And-Fifty

Le Guin, Steering The Craft, Chapter Five: Adjectives and Adverbs (Exercise Five, Chastity)

A Writer's Notebook, Two-Thousand-And-Fifty-Nine