Morning, a more convincing dream.
Life is long for a brief time, then brief for a long time.
The problem with irony
is that it is too soothing.
It suggests a pattern to tragedy
and therefore mitigates the terror that tragedy is random.
Were tragedy patternless, we’d be meaningless
and all the ironies of literature are a dam against this despair.
**
I sew closed the neckholes of my sweatshirts
then sew beltloops along their bottom hems
and slide my legs through the sleeves
because I wear sweatshirts like pants—
and I cut the crotches out of all my sweatpants
for my head to go through
because I wear sweatpants like shirts
with my arms through the legs
and I’m running for President.
by Mark Leidner
Morning, a more convincing dream.
Life is long for a brief time, then brief for a long time.
The problem with irony
is that it is too soothing.
It suggests a pattern to tragedy
and therefore mitigates the terror that tragedy is random.
Were tragedy patternless, we’d be meaningless
and all the ironies of literature are a dam against this despair.
**
I sew closed the neckholes of my sweatshirts
then sew beltloops along their bottom hems
and slide my legs through the sleeves
because I wear sweatshirts like pants—
and I cut the crotches out of all my sweatpants
for my head to go through
because I wear sweatpants like shirts
with my arms through the legs
and I’m running for President.