A sign’s intrinsic,
like a cop’s badge, or a looping treble clef,
or a forehead’s grey cross on Ash Wednesday.

A signal’s open to interpretation,
like a sauntering shrug,
or a dig paired with a wink, or a scream for help.

If signal came from sign,
things might have once been clearer.
If sign came from signal,
we’re fooling ourselves in the mirror.