Artless Poem by Lonnie Hicks

She was boundaryless
who could in conversation
offer you views
which were charmingly artless
facile critiques;
and thoughtless asides;
that was her charm
engrossing me so.

"What is your favorite artist?
and she answered "I have many
but none of them are my favorite,
so many
critique the way things are.
Now, .." she would say
"it's tiresome
to spend your life
critiquing everything?
Many are dull for that reason:
find their particular critique
and they repeat it endlessly
thereafter becoming a crashing bore
and your mind drifts.
I like surprises, someone who sparkles
arresting me;
can you? "

Her challenge to me
was less interesting to me
than why she could not abide boring.
And what did she think boring was
and why amusing her was so paramount.
So I asked.
"Why is amusing you,
even artlessly
came to be important to you? "
It startled her
she stared at me
part puzzlement
part challenge
part her intrigued look.
I took her hand
and placed it
on mine
artlessly.