Friday Dinner Party Conversation Stopper

Here's one from our newest poet Laureate, Charles Simic:

Tapestry

It hangs from heaven to earth.

There are trees in it, cities, rivers,

small pigs and moons. In one corner

the snow falling over a charging cavalry,

in another women are planting rice.

You can also see:

a chicken carried off by a fox,

a naked couple on their wedding night,

a column of smoke,

an evil-eyed woman spitting into a pail of milk.

What is behind it?

—Space, plenty of empty space.

And who is talking now?

—A man asleep under his hat.

What happens when he wakes up?

—He’ll go into a barbershop.

They’ll shave his beard, nose, ears, and hair,

To make him look like everyone else.