The Epistemological Uncle

I used this title in a short story published in 1994. Now I find myself working on a poem with the same title.

Writers often recirculate ideas like this. In fact, "the epistemological uncle" is based on a real character, my late soul-brother Dick's uncle. Pete, I believe it was. I met him only once, at the Lumberman's Bar in Orofino, Idaho. Uncle Pete was a long-gone alcoholic who had a habit of rearing back and howling, "Do you really knoooooooooooooooow!?!" He had perfect timing for the gesture, usually interrupting a heated barroom discussion about religion or politics. Do you really knoooooooooooooooooooooooow?!? Pete would howl, just before the fighting was about to begin -- and thus be a kind of peacemaker. He cracked me and Dick up.

After my story was published decades after I met Uncle Pete, "the epistemological uncle" became code between Dick and me, broadening its meaning to something like "Can you believe this shit?" After one of us used the code, we inevitably cracked up together.

I don't know if the poem I started will go anywhere. I'll know in a few days. Imagine that: a few days! If I were talking about a novel, this would mean "in a year or more."