What Was That?

How many times in your life have you asked,

or been asked, 

"What was that?"

How many times was it answered?

Every time probably somebody had an idea.

People were there or were here

and were certain they knew very well

what the roar or the hiss or the tremor or smell was

(about which you hadn’t a clue) –

easy! right off the bat.

Everyone knew about that.

Maybe they would and they do and they did.

Perhaps you expect now that I'll make a bid

to persuade you that nothing exists and that nobody

knows what they may be explaining

and even such simple events, say, as raining

or falling or flying or rising or cooking an egg in yung foo

constitute a collective snafu we will never construe

so if somebody chances to say that is that

and believe we'll believe it is true, if we do,

it makes asses of them and of me and of you.

But I wasn't about to go on about that.

Some people haven't a clue.

Some people have it down pat.

I was hoping to climb to a level above

"what was that?"

to a teasing conundrum it's clearer we miss.

How many times have you asked,

or been asked,
"What is this?"

.