language & communication - by simeon psimian

language and communication

john lydon told me
the written word is a lie
so likewise
the recorded sung or spoken word say i
on the table
there sat a cat or a telephone
what shape was the table?
what was the name of the cat?
you don’t know do you?
you don’t know do you?
you don’t know
well do you?

i’ve been talking to you
for the past ten minutes
and you haven’t got the slightest idea
what i could possibly mean, have you?
the spoken word
is a red herring
is the herring
past its sell-by date yet?
you don’t know do you?
you don’t know do you?
you don’t know
well do you?

if words
could convey
meaning
from one person to another
everyone would know
exactly what you meant
you’d be wide open, defenseless
vulnerable, exposed

secrets
secrets make the world go round
if language
were routinely used
for communication,
almost all
of the australians
would have fallen off by now

a herring who lived in australia
had a bicycle with a derailleur
when they asked why this was it replied it’s because
this way if
anybody
asks me an
embarrassing
personal
question
i can
accelerate
rapidly
away
and not have to
answer it
can’t i?