Legerdemain

From whose perspective 
does the moral determination 
become a category 
malignant imperative 
inevitable repetition 
froth to wait or spill 
at either end of the scale; 

Wither on the vinyl 
for the desire to be liked 
depends on your memory of music 
unless your silence 
stands for I belong; 

What was the thought 
when there were so many 
too counted to measure 
and yet one was chosen 
so clever that it was forgotten 
how to tie shoes.