I am a professional statistician.
I do not weigh in on
Political controversies, as
Experience has taught me that
I will make everyone angry.
Debunking the shoddy statistics
Used to prop up political arguments
Is akin to disputing Scripture
To most people most of the time,
And, is seen as quibbling.
I don’t want to hurt people,
People I respect and love..
So, I say nothing.
I had a friend who killed herself,
Rather than let her husband ever
Hurt her again.
In my eyes,
He murdered her.
I passed by their house
Driving down to Florida yesterday.
It’s been almost thirty years.
I only knew her six weeks.
I wrote recently of a friend
Who died in her early twenties
From drug addiction and
Fleeing an abusive home.
These were not statistics;
Statistics are never really statistics,
They are people, were people –
And people hurt
Every
Day
But we pass by individuals
On our way to using categories
And statistics
Than generalize out
Everything that matters.
There are seagulls on this beach;
I am watching one, doing –
I’m not really sure what she’s doing.
For forty-five minutes, she
Stayed within sight.
This free or not-so free bird,
Whose concerns never crossed with mine
Before today.
I do not think
The crabs and small fish look on her
As friendly, as
We’ve seen her eat several.
She flew away, at last –
Away from the direction of the sun.
As we all will, no doubt,
One day.
I have no categories today.
I am not free
To claim to know you
Merely by
Description
