Review of "Cruel Cogito" by Ken Chen

"Cruel Cogito" by Ken Chen, the executive director of the Asian American Writers Workshop, was offered by Poets.org's Poem-A-Day on October 21, 2013.  A link to the poem, including the poet's notes, may be found here:

http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/23728?utm_source=PAD%3A+Cruel+Cogito+by+Ken+Chen&utm_campaign=poemaday_102113&utm_medium=email

As the poem contains fourteen lines, the poet may be giving a nod to the sonnet form, although any other resemblance to a sonnet is absent.  The poem is one of reminiscence about the speaker's dead father and the good times they had talking, laughing, and having meals together.  The poem concludes on a poignant note as "the seat opposite...seats no one."