Nonurgent Communication

It is impossible to fix

Accurately the lower bound

Where holy earnest reduces

To mere fun. A polite exchange

Of laughter echoes in the air.

How pleasant to communicate

Without any fear in the air,

Without any urgent gasping,

Grasping after what can’t be had,

Mere fun, polite fun, nonurgent

Fun. When does earnestness creep in.

When does some fun become holy,

And then wholly terrifying?

We are listening carefully

To that laughter, so delightful,

So polite. Three bicyclists pant

In spandex up the steep paved road

Without a car or truck in sight,

Chatting and laughing between pants,

Exercising, exercising

Their social skills, their right to ride

Their bikes. Share the Road. At what point—

The sky is empty and holy.

No, that’s too earnest. Not polite.