If there are thirteen ways of looking at a Blackbird,
and they all look pretty much alike, just maybe
each look was actually a different Blackbird.
Perhaps there are thirteen Blackbirds instead.
And Blackbirds mate for life, so there're likely
husbands and wives settled in the tree; they'd
have a small community of twenty six birds.
We must look at each bird thirteen ways.
If there are thirteen ways of looking at each bird,
and each bird is thoroughly observed, we might
conclude there are three hundred and thirty-eight ways
of looking at Blackbirds, to be mathematically safe.
Forgive me, Wallace, maybe I'm creating my own
private reality. Are you sure they were your Blackbirds?
Did you take coffee breaks between each look?
Did you listen to any Blackbirds singing while you counted?
To me, reality really is a rather difficult concept
to nail down, considering the clutter we accumulate
in our heads throughout life. Each of us influenced
by our unique background, education, life experience….
Confusing, isn't it. And I thought logic solved all
of life's problems. But always there are Blackbirds
everywhere. I wonder how many ways they have
of looking at us? Maybe they tell us in their songs.
Tony Zurlo®