Tragedy lurks in the most trivial of acts
Not just events that turn out badly
Such as the spill that results in an injurious fall
But truly unimportant matters
That are completely unsubstantial
Except for their indeterminate effects
Of catastrophe and anagnorisis
Like ending this line by typing a capital C
Which doesn’t mean a damned thing
At the same time that it means too damned much
Like The Comedian as Letter
Or the resoundingly superfluous consonant in PCOET
Or the shitty no not that bad grade
That induces horror in some and relief in others
And whether through indolence or incapacity
Or through motives of self-defense
We don’t think things through
We don’t think things through
A thread of experience runs through all
And are we pearls on a strand
Or captives on a chain