Natural Histories Poem by Rae Armantrout

1

Since the irrational
"because I said so"
start,

they'd had their differences:

color that isn't really
color, spin
that isn't spin

because attitude's
best
when it has no content.

Ask a physicist
what "charge" is;

he'll say your question
makes no sense.



2

Word had it
that if they surrendered

their feckless ways

and their lives
with no end,

if they joined up,
they would get a head,

something to speak for them:
The head says,

"I don't want to die."

Says,

"I am all
alone here."