Another poem from chris wind – thought this one especially apt since it’s September and students are back at university…it’s from her book dreaming of kaleidoscopes
To My Philosophy Professors
Why didn’t you tell me?
When I was all set to achieve Eudamonia
through the exercise of Right Reason,
When I was eager to fulfil my part
of the Social Contract,
When I was willing, as my moral duty,
to abide by the Categorical Imperative
When I was focussed on Becoming,
through Thesis and Antithesis to Synthesis–
Why didn’t you correct me?
Tell me that Aristotle didn’t think I had any reason,
That according to Rousseau,
I couldn’t be party to the contract,
That Kierkegaard believes I have no sense of duty
because I live by feeling alone,
That Hegel says I should spend my life
in self-sacrifice, not self-development,
That Nietzsche thinks I’m good for pregnancy
and that’s about it–
Why didn’t you tell me I wasn’t included?
(Perhaps because you too had excluded me
from serious consideration;
Or did you think I wouldn’t understand?)
(I do. I do understand.)
1987
