Some speak of places far away
And structures that are made of clay
And searing heat throughout the day,
And this is what they always say.

They also speak of eerie lights
That shine from great and lofty heights
And flying fish and civil rights
And polyester megabytes.

They speak of objects in the sky
And that on which they all rely
(Diameters and radii),
And they insist that they can fly.

The others say this is absurd,
And they will not believe a word,
For it is like a flying bird
That glides too swiftly to be heard.

Some say the world cannot be round,
And adamantly they expound,
"The world is cubic!" with a sound
That feels as if it were profound.

But others always disagree,
And, citing relativity,
They state this simply cannot be,
For it is plain, as one can see.

Yet others claim that they are wise,
That evolution in disguise
Explains the world, its shape and size,
And how the sun will always rise.

Recalling fluent memories,
These organisms in the seas
Converse and find that they are these:
Collective plankton entities.

First published online at the Asimov's Forum, 2001.