III 

Before Babel, object matched word 
uniquely and solely. But too many 
verbal blocks were pulled from that
vocal tower so a mistimed question 
misplaced syllable or unfortunate innuendo 
brought forth hints and allegations, 
points and accusations. 
Then Babel's fabled tower fell, 
our meanings forked, 
and tongues became divinely confounded. 

Here and now in the demimonde of language 
we hear loudly what is not said 
giving away only a little of what we mean. 
We aspire towards suggested truth 
our ends are burdened by mean words. 
"In the beginning there was the word" 
We are bound by our facility to connect 
either resisting or inundated, 
exceeding or submitting we interact 
in deed, speech and thought 
with each other and everything else both. 
"and the word was with God" 
The incommunicable is intangible 
because all ideas come of things, 
things are the media for ideas 
their basis and common ground. 
The indescribable, either unbearable or sublime 
is beyond the network of language 
extraordinary and profane. 
"and the word was God" 
Why can time not come unbound or untold? 
Because freedom is a fallacy? 
Because time and space are complex 
and complexity folds back in on itself 
becoming simple in its dysfunction. 
What strives to elevate itself 
above the singular and the dual 
becomes rebound by the simple 
the tools and material are 
too cumbersome for the desire. 
just as the impossibility of making origami 
out of paper too thick or small.

First published in "Potato" 2008.