on the nature of thoughts

Submitted by

Danuta Allen

Poem

thoughts are not divine
previously non-existent, come to life
when the new sound strikes the ear for the first time

thoughts have boundaries
only play with the vintage puzzles
combining the pieces in creative ways

thoughts do not roam beyond words
are not separate from syllables
but contingent upon each vowel

thoughts are constrained
forever encompassed by pauses
defined by the familiar peculiarity of a sound wave

once shaped, thoughts never transform themselves –
polish their rough-edges with palatal kindness
or coarsen with augmenting friction

there is no softness in softness
no roughness in roughness
unless randomly granted forever

thoughts are not self-aware
must be told what they are