Counterintelligence
A text becomes a pretext for a nerd
Of criticism, theorizing, or
Detectives’ brains. The poem is a turd
For lab investigation. Those minds pore
Between the lines. These Sherlocks search for clues
About the author or the context in
His history. Sleuths like these, if they must choose,
Will go for speculation. It’s a sin
To read a poem for its pleasure. If
The text can be attacked because it might
Contain lacunae or some other whiff
Of fret (about the authorship?), the plight
The text will suffer is increased. They’ll smutch
The verse to death. It won’t escape their clutch.