Member Poem

These days, arguments echo through the streets.
But what is an argument, really?
Seldom does it reach its depths.

Most of the time, you just lean against a wall,
Letting its chalk dust settle onto your clothes—
That alone feels like enough.

Make friends with questions.
a question mark will then seem like an ear,
an ear adorned with a dangling earring.
Like a girl with pearl earring enchanting a museum

And if a debate ever feels too intense,
scratch the chalk from the wall,
try slipping inside.
You’ll find cement and bricks within.
And beyond that, another brick—
and if the wall is old enough, perhaps yet another.
But that’s it.

Beyond that,
the wall breaks, you're left at the mercy of the wind.
Or worse,
dampness claims you instead.

The journey will be deep — that much is certain.
If certainty is enough for you, then it's more than enough.

But this is not where you meet the foundation of the words.
Because this is no foundation at all.

Walking along the walls in a dark house does not give you footing.

If you wish to build a foundation,
Learn to recognize the air around things—
Their warmth, their chill, their scent.
Put your nostrils to use.
Sleep with your ears open.
Learn to identify sounds,
Like the way a blind person senses obstacles from a distance.

Scratching the walls of your mind will only shake loose more chalk.
To reach the core, you must peel back layers.
Hold on to your dreams,
Dig into their images.
Go deeper.
Feel the steps hidden beneath the water.
Know the noise within your own mind.
Listen - unhesitatingly.

With the same care you once had for your children,
care for words.
Then, you will find the foundation, the basis.
And once you do, arguments will seem futile.
That’s what I try, not everytime I succeed.
I offer no guarantees for you either.

But try. I assure you—
If not me, succeed you will

It will be a sight we share.