Theses, Faeces, Syntheses Poem by Michael Shepherd

O the language of the thesis!
O the octopus of Academe!

‘As I argued in my previous book,
‘Some definitions of ‘definition’ in contemporary philosophy’ –
an argument which I hope to pursue
in a following volume, (and I quote) :
‘to define what we mean by ‘definition’
we must first consider
the nature of definition:
can it be itself defined? Is
its definition itself a retreat
from what definition defines? …’

and the wood of academic chairs
creaking as a lecture ends,
from which once the young sap rose
like the hope of definition
dries, decays and dessicates.