On Meaning and Questions

Inspired by Cindy Urbanski’s blog post this week and because it’s postmodern week [in gender and language studies class] in my postmodern(ish) life, I am responding to some readings I’ve been doing this week in poetic (I suppose the truth of that is up to you) verse.

What She Meant

I like the way

A rhythm and (line) break

To my words

Might draw attention

To the riffing of meaning

At least here

If not in the wheelbarrow or daffodils

(Where old and white and male drone singular)

This

Momentary

Drumbeat

Between you and me

(Imply here in “You and me” all the histories, thinking back localities, kicked around, knot-connected, heteroglossic humming together and clanging out of ideas, people, relationships, labors always responding, moving, churning along lines of power and powerful economies of knowledge)

Beats forward

Unauthorized meaning

Could dilate the fissures

With the pounding bass of questions

A Companion Poem

Of rising intonations,

The making of questions

So much of the time

Sold as not firm, hard, clear, known,

The truths,

That hold finite and tight

The might of strong statements

Static inclinations

Stand strong and fight

While

Wondering language

Wandering maybe

And so?

Is covered over as silly

Willy-nilly, unconvinced

Delicate dilettante

I guess

I will name and un-name

The unquestioned language

Describing the sounds

Of our bodies,

Lips, mouth, throat, breast, breath

As we rise to question

The pat on the head

Responses to vocals

That can reclaim

The high rising terminal,

Renaming it critical.