How to stand it


Cover your eyes
stop up your ears
curl up, perhaps
in a ball.

Take the road of repetition.
Work up a routine,
a daily circuit,
select just a little:
stick to that.

Some like to drown it,
watch it blur and waver
through the bottom of a glass.

There’s been success with surgery
to remove sensitive ends
and amputate feelers.

A suit has been good armour
for an army of good men
grey the preferred colour
and for a sword, a pen.

I’ve heard of certain hermits
sit in a cave ten years
waiting for the moment
they understand it all.

Ignore it. This is not
for the fainthearted:
it has a certain strength
and will find chinks
in concentration.

Avoid children.
They are liable to pick it up and bring it,
laughing,
to your lap
saying “see what I found.
On no account:
read novels
observe art
or become exposed
to the Canon in D.

Do Not Dance.

If all this fails
you’ll have no choice
but to submit
to merge with it
feel it brush your skin,
sing in your eyes
waft round your nose
sweeten your tongue
and open your eyes.