The Trauma of Thauma

It’s not just the philosophers.
Everyone feels wonder sometimes,
And we’re all traumatized by it.

The universe is big; we’re small.
Or, how wondrous are the heavens.
Or, how wondrous is this or that,

Could be birth or a summer’s day.
We’re so easily overwhelmed,
And we collapse into wonder.

Some dwell in a perpetual
Fog of wonder, or claim they do—
They don’t seem traumatized themselves,

But they’re the most traumatizing.
Can’t we just be done with wonder?
We don’t know what we’re looking at

Beyond a lot of names for it.
Whenever words and maths fail us,
Splat! We’re all puddled in wonder.

Awe is a useless emotion
And too easily exploited.
Can’t explain it? Leave it alone

Or go to work on testing it.
Don’t gawp and go on about it.
Nothing’s more wonderful than dull.