Katie Penna

(Language)

 

 

It’s not exactly a lie (I’m lying to you)

by writing these

(words).

 

It is its own form of legend,

a legend that conveys everything

from dirt to gold to dust to death

to first breath.

 

But we have a

sign

to mark the place,

a few dots

 

 

 

To save forever

So we don’t forget

(forever).

 

so live slower; you won’t forget—

because if language is a story

It may as well not be a lie.

(Nothing

you

can

say

is

Real.)

How

sweet

that

We

think

We

can

bottle

Infinity

in

a

(Word).

 

 

 

Because

(time)

isn’t

Real either.

The thing about (language) is that

It isn’t exactly

Real.

 

 

 

But it’s not exactly truth.

Not exactly medicine,

Not exactly logical,

Not exactly simple.

 

We could not

Cannot

Will never

Understand infinity.

 

 

And a dash

 

 

 

These seconds

Don’t exist

 

—And say good things


Katie Penna is a freshman at SUNY Geneseo where she studies music performance on flute/piccolo. She is a current member of the college’s creative writing club. Katie enjoys writing everything from poetry to plays and is excited to continue developing her work in a college setting.