the big not-a-game

The generalist and the specificeer.
We have to be both to fare, we fear.
The generalist knows what humanity's
like. The specificeer says "Oh dear!
Not right!
I just met one
not like that at all! The generalist's
truth's a pack of lies!" The generalist
quips:
"You dropped the ball. We go
by groups to narrow our eyes. But
anyone can be exceptional!"

The specificeer snorts! "That's rich!
What good is it? Might as well
go individually."

"But then you won't know
at a glance what
they're like.'

Let's admit probably
neither one is right.

For right never rhymed
with like, did it? But
squint with your ears
and blink with your
eyes
and the mind behind:
you could almost find
fit!

If you do,

that's an ongoing juggling
act. All balls and pins
and hays and stacks
up up and away, plus
here, neither there!
In a moment we get
quite bad at that

in fact.

So we rue every miss
and drop in botch job
flail to catch what they're
not, but it's worth it when,
clued and cued - wild
guess plus gut,

we catch!
As catch can. And
are caught.

Humans are wiggly and cool,
we find.

Humanity is as a rule quite fine,
only riddled exceptionally
with snares and catches
of balls quite foul, hit

square.
Which leaves us
stopped short by a wild
left field full of truth
innaplied both sane
and real and beyond
one's reach! Far out,
safe at home we reel
as we teach ourselves

what we've known:

It's not fair. That's life.

Every lesson we learn
from specific one applied
going forward to all, will
burn some times: each
exceptional time we're
wrong. But if we can't apply
what we've leaned to whoever
we meet, what the hell! Do we
have to go on?

Just a bit.
Up ahead, then quit for a spell
to regather our head.
It's all mostly same beans,
stacks of hay and pins. These
moments are balls

in the air. And alive
with dread and potentially
joy. Sometimes, we catch
Attagirl, attaboy! We save!
Recognize and react, to score!

One in wins.

One would be damn daft
to ask in demanding ways
for more.

It's the big ol' not-a-game!
There are made-up rules
laid in made-up minds, plus
none otherwise. Pick a side,
that's fine - just choose! Choose
just! Just fair, so to find
some great divides, to stake
stance in lines. Then - perhaps?

Call the other team yours,
likewise! Otherwise, they're
theirs. It's an offer at best,
to decline is fine. No cheat!
Some exceptional few of us all
will join in with you. In such
drawn lines called, we can all
go screw! Or tap ourselves in
by hammer or drive. We
are all in this win.

We are all on this ball.

We'll be playing our own
game anyway, then. But
wait.

Is it fair?

If it's not, that's life. Strike
true!

Deal square.

If the other one fouls?
Learn a lesson or two
against that one, now
and then. Not all. 

Be prepared to stand firm!
Or bend! And how. 

We are on this ball.