Poem of April 2

[syncategorematic]

Years stretch on ahead
Minds unable to grasp them
When even an hour is long, long, long
When even yesterday seems long ago
When everything is packed with events ---
You know how long a day it? It's longer than that.
You know how long a year is? It's longer than that.
You know how long ten years is?
Ten years ago I could not possibly imagine
being this ten years from then.
Infinity is well-defined
I can comprehend it
I can tell you many of its properties
I can tell you how to tame this beast
But it is a beast I cannot see.
Why, then, do we invoke it in time,
A scary bogey monster ---
You know how scary a rat is? It's scarier than that.
You know how scary a shark is? It's scarier than that.
You know how scary a madman is?
Is trying to comprehend it madness
Of trying for things that cannot be done ---
Which is only madness if you fail.