Should blue air in its purity let you disdain
the stink of artificial pine

the gaunt architecture
of cheap political solutions

if there are philosophies to argue
the moment when you would

or wouldn’t spring to shield
a friend’s body or jump

into scummed waters after
a stranger caught submerging

or walk off to your parked
car your sandwich your possible orange

or theories rage of dance
about this if in the event any

can be sure who did
or did not act on principle or impulse

and what’s most virtuous
can we not be nodding smiling
taking down notes like this

and of all places
in a place like this

I’ll work with you on this bad matter. I can
but won’t give you the time of day

if you think it’s hypothetical