While You Were Away

So many more poets came out
To play or to fight for a place
At the great table of the day.

And where were you? you ask yourself,
Sleeping on the porch of science,
Sleeping in old sacks of knowledge,

Which you know is never really,
Always just approximately,
At best, and that’s just flattery.

You fell asleep dreaming of facts
That all ran away as you slept.
Meanwhile, more charming poets played.