What do I want? What do I value?

                    What do you reject?

What matters to me? Whose opinions do I heed?

                   Whose do you ignore?

I no longer care what anyone thinks of me,

or my actions.

                   You realize, of course, that you have fixed

                   the anomaly of your state.

                   You are trying very hard not to care;

                   but you do, because you know you must.

The conflict distracts me utterly.

I want to be neutral.

                  You gabble.

                  What are you fighting for, so desperately?

Freedom!

                   Freedom is a chameleon goal.

                   You never arrive at what you really  think it really is.

                   Who would believe it, except the clear-eyed aged,

                   the idea of freedom in chains?

                   Or even more –

                   Freedom forges chains for its existence?

You gabble too, and puff yourself up

with your own eloquence.

However, I take your point.

                 End of conversation?

For the moment, yes. Thank you.

                One final word.

You always have the last word!

                Surely you do not think yourself unique?

No!  Well … yes … maybe.  Yes!  Definitely!

                Reconsider.

 

 

 

Cynthia Buell Thomas