a lower form of knowledge

no one who listens notices the word
spoken by those who have forgotten speech
so further action seems yet more absurd

no greater title ever was conferred
yet now it seems so far beyond our reach
no one who listens notices the word

not even one whose choices were deterred
by sudden silence which enforced a breach
so further action seems yet more absurd

now these were matters of which we had heard
before we started well within our reach
no one who listens notices the word

that has been uttered by those who preferred
action to thought and who just had to preach
so further action seems yet more absurd

but we unbroken still see things unblurred
and have learned lessons that you did not teach
no one who listens notices the word
so further action seems yet more absurd