The man asked a question

The man asked a question

a question he knew, so it

was not to hear an answer

or to learn or gain advantage

or even understand. He asked

me the question he knew

the answer to so that

I could know

and he could say

he was not Socrates

My heart is sewn, he said

   with black thread

my heart is held, he said

   with black thread

so that it cannot beat

unless held together

   with black thread

The thread binds

the thread holds

my heart

is bound

   with black thread

and all I can do, he said

is ask questions

I know the answers to:

I am not Socrates.

Photograph by George Hodan via Public Domain Pictures. Used with permission.