Diagnosis

I long ago stopped pretending
to understand. To know.

At best, I suspect. I think.
I believe.

All I know is that the world swirls around me,
Strange and beautiful and far more complex

than my mind, geared towards simplicity
can understand, and

all the science and all the theology
are nothing but hints

of the things left to learn, more knowledge
to teach me what I have left to learn.

So let the world swirl, explode, fade,
make art and love and confusion,

often all the same thing,
a beautiful diagnosis,

making no sense at all in its exhilaration,
but oh, what a ride!

About this poem

So much in my life has not made sense. Especially the best of things. But I long ago decided I did not need to know all the whys.

The painting is one of mine from a couple of years ago, also called “Diagnosis” It is a painting I did just after finding out my cancer had returned and I would need radiation treatment. (which seems to have worked well, BTW.). This poem, however, was written on the back of a very good time in my life.

Tom