Jack Pelham

Some cannot hear that it is out of tune
Or out of tone or time or spirit, even—
Because they were never taught
To hear such things.

And I wonder at what fires
Might be lit in their souls
If someone were to teach them now!

There is the thrill of hearing a note
Played with spirit and keenly in tune!
And as surely, the opposite makes
Its impression upon the soul, too.

Funny how a grown man
Can be pouting on the inside
So deep down that he will never
Realize it in a hundred grouchy years—
And if you asked him he’d probably
Deny it—clueless soul that he is—
Unless he goes down there
On purpose to find out
For himself what’s
The problem.
And then
After he has
Seen it he can
Cut it out and get
On with the growing
He had grinched himself
Out of —all the time thinking
Himself more mature than that.

Stand back, friends!

The human is loading to think
And has little idea where
He’s pointing that thing
Or what makes it go off.

He’s still a little shaky
On the details—
On whether it is
The ready
The aim
Or the fire
That should come first.

The American love of freedom is a curious affair
Since we are not nearly as free from tyranny
As we like to think we are—
And as we have so much more freedom to think
Than we ever seem to use.

He is fooled by the familiar form
Into thinking that as he reads
He must also be understanding.

When reading a passage in the Bible
What person is there who can set aside
What he wants it to mean
Or expects it to mean
Or thought it meant yesterday
Or has always heard that it means
Or what his friends want it to mean?

Who is there among us
Who is truly free
Simply to listen
And consider?

Too few have any concept
That ideas need to be vetted—
Beyond the question of whether
They seem desirable to hold.

And of those who do perceive the need
Few have much skill at it.

There’s really no getting around
The fact that you are not listening—
Especially since what I’m trying
To talk to you about right now is
The fact that you are not listening.