Unnervingly

Consider noise, as in sounds

But also information.

Jonathan Berger, writing

On the commonalities

Of car alarms and chickens,

Terms both, obstinate rhythmic

Patterns . . . repetitive yet . . .

Unpredictable. This makes

Them noisy. They make a lot

Of noise. Let’s go back to that—

Obstinate rhythmic patterns,

Highly repetitive, yet

Also unpredictable.

Does this not largely describe

The whole of the universe?

Is this not the prime feature

Of all wave phenomena?

The oceans, the galaxies

The terrible storms of wind,

The rise and fall of peoples?

Alright, you can modify

Unpredictable a bit,

Damp it, give it an adverb,

Usually or frequently.

The cosmos clearly isn’t

Always unpredictable.

Your true love, information,

Is everywhere enabling

You to reassure yourself

Some noise is predictable.

But still, you’re often startled,

No? Prediction fails you so,

So often, and it’s dreadful.

As for obstinate rhythmic

Patterns, well that goes without

Saying, bears with repeating,

And repeats mercilessly.

It’s a cosmos of clucking

And explosive car alarms.

It’s relentless. It’s brutal.

It tells you almost nothing.

For the most part, you know noise.