What do I understand? asked the eyes
The stripes on old gentlemen’s ties
The steam wisps that drift up from pies
The gauzy pink clouds in the skies
These I know and I like, said the eyes.
What do I understand? asked the nose
The scents of petunia and rose
The fresh fleecy smell of the snows
The mothball perfume of old clothes
These I know and I like, said the nose.
What do I understand? asked the hand
The stretch of a smooth rubber band
The squish of the peaches I’ve canned
The soft golden grit of the sand
These I know and I like, said the hand.
What do I understand? asked the ears
The roar of the crowd when it cheers
The snip-snip of haircutting shears
The seagulls that squawk at the piers
These I know and I like, said the ears.
What do I understand? asked the lips
The snot from the nose when it drips
The crunch of the salsa and chips
The sauce on the chicken wing tips
These I know and I like, said the lips.
What do I understand? asked the mind
I am not quite so simply defined
I’m in all of the senses, you’ll find
But I also reflect and remind
And my hunch is that I am entwined
With all of the cosmos combined
Sui generis, and yet unconfined
I’m…
“Look, skies!” interrupted the eyes
“Old clothes!” interrupted the nose
“Soft sand!” interrupted the hand
“Loud cheers!” interrupted the ears
“Yum! Chips!” interrupted the lips
Well, the mind heard the senses and smiled
And tended to each like a child
And sorted them out when they fought
But wished it had more time for thought.
