deepundergroundpoetry.com
Imperfect Knowledge
After a dangerous bout of covid,
brushing as close to death as one should go,
sometimes I tell my story: how I did
and, how I'm doing. All they want to know
though, is my vaccine status: jabbed or not?
When I say not, and after a smug smirk
is wiped away, they ask if I have got
regrets, and point how that did not work.
I think of Lisa Shaw, and then explain
that a decision, must be judged against
the facts known at the time. Again
ignored by all and sundry, no defense
allowed (was this not taught at their college?)
Death and near death from imperfect knowledge.
brushing as close to death as one should go,
sometimes I tell my story: how I did
and, how I'm doing. All they want to know
though, is my vaccine status: jabbed or not?
When I say not, and after a smug smirk
is wiped away, they ask if I have got
regrets, and point how that did not work.
I think of Lisa Shaw, and then explain
that a decision, must be judged against
the facts known at the time. Again
ignored by all and sundry, no defense
allowed (was this not taught at their college?)
Death and near death from imperfect knowledge.
Published 3rd Dec 2021
Author's Note
Lisa Shaw was a radio broadcaster who died after receiving the covid jab, see here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Shaw_(broadcaster)
This poem makes me think about the two worlds currently being built, one where people have autonomy over their own bodies; the other world where they don't. In the poem both people, the protagonist and Lisa Shaw, chose what to do with their own bodies. Both of them came close to the edge, with one of them going over the edge (it could have been either of them) but our society seems to condemn the poems protagonist while sympathising with Lisa Shaw (and similar).
As Herodotus explained all those years ago, a decision should be judged not on the outcome but upon what was known at the time. Again, this doesn't seem to be evenly applied.
This poem makes me think about the two worlds currently being built, one where people have autonomy over their own bodies; the other world where they don't. In the poem both people, the protagonist and Lisa Shaw, chose what to do with their own bodies. Both of them came close to the edge, with one of them going over the edge (it could have been either of them) but our society seems to condemn the poems protagonist while sympathising with Lisa Shaw (and similar).
As Herodotus explained all those years ago, a decision should be judged not on the outcome but upon what was known at the time. Again, this doesn't seem to be evenly applied.
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