The Arms Allowed

. . . the only arms I allow myself to use—silence, exile, and cunning.

—James Joyce, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

Joyce had his exile. Silence and cunning

eluded him—he was too fond of punning!

I might do better if I shed my love of rhyme,

perhaps not today; before the end of time.

Tipped in and out of waking by my brain,

I keep in mind that other famous rule

taught us long ago in bardic school:

"Never apologize! Never explain!"

Seeking to avoid the human stain,

I may be an idiot, but I’m not a fool!

Tuesday, November 18, 2025