An event is taking place. 
An incident happens during the event.

People run toward it from their seats. 
People see what they see,

react to the incident,
then react to the reactions.

The reactions add layers to incident and event. 
It all thickens and gets lumpy with all that’s being added. 

History adds its own layers
as people refer to history

and then there are reactions
to the event as it also becomes history.

People rip the incident out of the event
and turn it into a plank for whatever floor

they will walk on from now on.
It doesn’t fit as smoothly in some as it does in others.

But there was only one incident in one event —
how can so many people install it in their flooring?

Maybe they were all watching different events
and there were many different incidents,

or perhaps reaction and history created 
the multiplicity of planks people use to build their homes.

They walk the floor from now on
and other people who come by now

stumble on that plank because
it never is quite smooth enough

not to stick up a little. It’s not like it is
in their house, where to them the floor

is as smooth
as a good story.

All planks stick up a little to someone.
Everyone’s tripping on a different plank.

No one walks a straight line anywhere. 
Every last one of us

tripping, stumbling,
falling into one another.