The Real World Can’t Be This World

One of the loveliest aspects
Of that nearly universal
And loveliest of fallacies,

The illogical argument
From incredulity—Can’t be!
That’s absurd! That’s ridiculous!—

Is that, whenever someone finds
Circumstances beyond belief,
They ease their incredulity

By cooking up something truly
Incredible as alternate
Explanation, usually

Sorcery, secret weaponry,
And/or some vast conspiracy.
Whenever asked for evidence,

They say they have it already
And will reveal it all shortly
But not now. They’re still collecting.

Pressed again, the response is to say
A crazy world can’t be explained
Any other way. Then they snort

And cut things short, condescending,
Incredulous—do you really
Believe xyz could happen

In any ordinary way
Without some malign wizardry,
Without secret technology,

Without a vast conspiracy?
Ah, isn’t it just wonderful
That what is found incredible

Must be explained away by means
Of some tale more incredible,
Since the real world can’t be this world?