Denise Duhamel

POEM IN WHICH I ADMIT MY IGNORANCE

I always get the House and Senate mixed up. I still can’t
convert Fahrenheit to Celsius. I read Fahrenheit 451 
so long ago I barely remember the plot even when 
I reference it. I didn’t spell Celsius 
correctly when I started this poem in my notebook.
Sometimes I try to figure out who you are
talking about by context—a famous writer,
musician, politician? Then, when I have enough
info to get by, I nod, before changing the subject 
to something I’m familiar with, America
and the Dunning-Kruger Effect.

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