Ignorance and Narcissism
I do not know how anything works.
I do not even know how I work!
But, I beg you to hold me to my word, I intend
To find out. Such ignorance has no place in
Any mind; let alone mine. I mean to remove all ig-
Norance: innocence, no! I would keep my innocence.
But ignorance I will not accept. It is folly to
Let no knowledge reside in a mind so built
To learn. A folly! A waste! If you can, why not
Do so? Unless of course you revel in your ideology
Of stupidity. Or perhaps stupidity is too strong
A word. You do not know: you are ignorant. You
Choose not to know: you are stupid. It is idiotic
Not to know what you can; to have such know-
Ledge of our world could have unforeseen needed
Consequence. Perhaps knowing ‘To a Chameleon’
Could save some sadness of a lack of understanding
About the ‘lizard in the august foliage.’ Monroe
Could save your life. Don’t ask me how. I
Do not know. Did I just admit to ignorance?
For shame! My hipocritic musings have struck
Me down! Humility is not my forte. But
I will live and criticize. Perhaps I should
Take my own words to heart. Though is
That not a bit cliché? I can learn. But
Can I learn from myself? It seems a bit
Narcisstic to claim I can teach myself
What I do not know. Knowledge cannot
Be imparted if it is not in the possession
Of the imparter. It makes no sense.
Half the world- nay three over four of it
Refuses to make sense. But that does
Not change my thought on ignorance. But
Why should you listen to me? I am a narcisstic
Ignorant fool like you. Though I hop you are
Not as narcisstic as me! That would be a
Pitiful thing indeed. I hope to God you are
Not me. I have gone through more: and know
Less than you and her and him. Oh well. It
Seems that I cannot criticize your ignorance. You
Know more than I.
Ignorance and Narcissism © Elizabeth Wherry, April 2012
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