Be Open to Difference

Suppose he knew the capitals of every state

and twenty or thirty countries

And what if he named all the presidents 

in order as well as their vice- presidents—

then rattled off  constitutional amendments

as well as their dates —then what

He plays One-Pocket pool 

Sings off key

Collects rusted hubcaps and scours

streets for the treasures he fashions out of discards

Yet he doesn’t know how to talk to people,

answers questions with yes or no,

evades looking at anyone and can’t seem

to understand a joke

He spends his days learning new words,

arcane words— and hands them to an editor 

who thanks him and asks him to find references 

At the end of the day he returns home 

careful not to step on cracks.

April Poem a Day 

Prompt: Intelligence