Think about all the things you don’t need to have an opinion about
Like the origins of a slice of pastrami,
the wall calendar I haven’t
changed since January,
or that little squeaky toy
the cat keeps playing with at night.
I could hide it, sure.
I could banish her from jostling
about with her favorite item.
But what is the greater punishment?
To refuse the chase and clatter
of an evening’s fun
or to let myself clear my brain
of the simplest frustrations?
Perhaps buy ear plugs.
Perhaps think of all the other
things she or I could be
doing wrong.
Think about how the world,
how my mind is half
stuck in the past.
Think of actually trying
pastrami regardless of its
wind-dried history.
Think about throwing away
the calendar,
relying on intuition
alone.