Ambiguity
Is a pebble on the road
To enlightenment.

There is no "adverb",
Nor an indirect object,
Nor direct objects.

There's only colon --
With arguments before it
And others after.

What we call those args --
"Indirect", "adverb", "direct" --
Is pure convention.

It's up to each sub
To decide how arguments
Are interpreted.

print may choose to treat
Pre-colon as filehandle,
Post-colon as list.

On the other hand,
sum might choose: Pre-colon -- list,
Post-colon -- adverb.

It's like the story
Of two monks and Hui-neng
Discussing a flag:

"The flag is moving?"
"Or is it the wind moving?"
"It's your mind that moves!"

Now we have the tale
Of Chipmunk-san and Con Wei
Discussing colons:

"Colons mean 'adverb'?"
"Colons mean 'indirectly'?"
"Colons mean...colon!"

It's how you use them
In your sub that determines
What purpose they serve.