The Meeting

“I don’t care what you’ve heard,”

she said, “because you may have heard

something different than I.  The Indians

around here have a story about those

who say they hear.  You see, they’re not

the same Indians.  The original tribes

were both thought to hear—and even

said so themselves.  Much joy came of this,

through what they may each have heard.

In fact, they were both made so happy

that they decided to have a meeting

about it.  But, when the time had come

to meet, and when they had each reached

the place of meeting, it was here

that a great fight broke out,

and not just a great fight, but the war.

And, when it was over, we were

the only tribe left.  And then, we learned

that neither of them had heard the same.

They had each heard just the opposite.

And now, when we meet, we never speak

of what we hear, only of the good.”