Self Talk Poem by Francis Poole

Can a djinn appear in a mirror?
More things are invisible than visible.
Dark matter. Dark energy. Black holes.
In a wispy, flowing gown of dusty lace
glitterati sparkle from a trillion stars.
If someone could magically
turn sorrow into joy
how much would it cost?
And would the sorrow be missed?
Doesn't everybody need
some sorrow sometime?
When will humans figure out
what's wrong with them?
Probably never.
I don't think they
want to find out.
As far as comprehending the universe
we humans are on a par with
your average snail.
If the universe is infinite
then wouldn't numbers, quantities,
sizes, distances, and all measurements
be meaningless?
I mean when you say big, large,
huge, gigantic what do you mean?
From one mile up
human beings on the planet
are indistinguishable
from their surroundings.
They disappear.
Those who serve in submarines
are different from you and me.
Submariners abide where
the unconscious floats
like a velvet carpet
beneath the sky.
The periscope is like
a third eye.
There may be more good
than evil in the world
but I wouldn't bet on it.
I suspect a lot of good
is wasted on evil shit.
The sun shines down equally
on the good and the bad.
Then all bets
are off.
Take what you need
and give the rest away or
Take all you can get and
keep it to yourself.
You decide.
When I consider how many times
I have acted dangerously stupid
and luckily got away with it
or thought I did
I wonder what stupid thing
I might do next.
If an emotion had a
mathematical equivalent
what would it be?
What is the hypotenuse of love?
In school a math teacher once said
two minus three is negative one.
I don't understand how that can be.
So two universes minus three universes
equals minus one universe?
How can a negative something
equal anything?
'The brain is wider than the sky.' (Emily Dickenson)
Maybe consciousness evolved
so the universe could become
aware of itself and know
how seductive and unforgiving
time and a beating heart can be.
Or maybe the universe will eventually
decide it's had enough
of knowing it exists
and go to sleep.
Then on some Jovian spring day
eons in the distance
it awakens for one millisecond
takes a look around
and falls back asleep
to repeat this cycle
billions of times.
Death could be nature's way
of reducing you to minimums
so that you barely exist
somewhere between
zero and one
to prepare for whatever
comes next.
And you ask the universe
Will you hold my hand
as you walk away from me?