A Thin Line in the Margin

To aerate the world
And bring its contours
Into dark relief,

Languages serve well,
Remarkably well,
Letting in the light

Conversation as
Well as the shadows.
We’re here to draw lines,

Carve signs in the air,
And just chat a bit.
You may not want us

For such use always.
You may be mostly
Signaling yourselves

All about yourselves
Contesting yourselves,
You animals, you.

But the way we work
For beast purposes
Just happens to split

The world into parts.
You want a between.
You expect betweens,

Despite all the waves
Linking horizons,
Nothing between them.

We’re your go-betweens.
Lines that make margins
Lie in those margins.