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You Can Be A Genius And Be Sane

Watching Monk and watching self,
One senses that one can have genius
And be sane.
You can
Be odd,
The brain its own,
To nail the themes
Your thought-extremes deem right.

Monk plays and pounds
In rhythmic spasms;
Clowns around, a whirling world
Of peaks and chasms
Hell or heaven sent,
Forever in his moment.

Yet you can be a genius;
Calm and tidy, rational, articulate,
Organized, aesthetic,
Well coordinated and athletic;
All of these down to your knees,
Your genie with you when you please;
Your central point, your solo want,
To use as it befits a genius
In whichsoever form is yours.

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More poetry by Arlene Corwin

Monk plays “‘Round Midnight”