Don’t You Dare!

 

 

Don’t you dare answer

If you know it will start a noise,

Stick to your position

And hold your poise!

 

Some may say to you

It is better to get it all out

But you had better hold back

If you have any doubt.

 

I have been accused

Of sometimes not responding

Especially if someone

Comes over as demanding.

 

The query may be loaded

And fraught with mischief

And to attempt to respond

Might put me at risk.

 

So, I play deaf-mute

Much to the anger of the other

But this tempers the situation

And is less of a bother.

 

Two tempers flaring

At one and the same time

Can explode into horrid words

That will blow the mind.

 

It is not easy to do

Especially if you don’t like to lose,

Some see it as a cop-out

And are none too enthused.

 

But it’s better in the long run

When heads have cooled

And a better look can be had

If you so choose.

 

It may appear unmannerly

Cutting the argument short

But that would be much better

Than a friendship abort.

 

Two steaming heads

And two runaway tongues

Are the recipe, I’ve discovered,

For irreparable wrong.

 

A noise can easily mushroom

Into an uncontrollable riot

So, don’t you dare answer

And thus, live to regret it.

 

Stewart Russell © August 3, 2022