A Momentary Fiddling...

Anatomy

He refers to it
as "that Prufrock poem"
while disparaging the stupidity
of being an English major
and I think of how
his science is draped over
the skeletal remains of
words and language,
how it couldn't walk
or talk
or do
if it weren't for
language
and the way "spoon"
tucks the essence of a spoon
so carefully and beautifully
into 5 little letters
the way the first cervical vertebra
is named Atlas
which speaks of history and mythology
which is how words hold up
science like that important bone
that cups the skull close against it
that buouys it in strength
that raises thought in its skeletal cage
towards sky
i think how could the human
body not inspire love poems
not inspire the awe of words
that attempt to capture it
with the scalpel cut
of naming
or verse
because it is amazing
because it astounds
like the beginning of the universe
and the thought of an end
like the first time a human held up something
and named it
and yes, words do fail us
just like the body,
never quite capturing
that which makes everything so vital
wheezing as it tries
to grasp at something it can't quite reach
but the flesh will not carry on
nor the bones
nor the sinews and tight-fisted muscles
just these words
sitting here and wondering
what would we be
if not named.