It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Abraham Lincoln
Everyone already likes you. Everyone already loves you. You're the lovable fool, the village idiot. Everyone already knows you're the one who sits back, who stays silent. You're the passive one, the submissive one, the subordinate one. Everyone already knows you're the one who ignores the pain, who dances in the sunshine and runs from the rain. You're the one who walks on by, you're the one who never says a word. You know that everyone already thinks you're a fool. Why shatter that illusion? After all, everyone already likes you. Everyone already loves you.
Her transmission is lost in the static. Your transmission is lost in the static. Yet you know that she's still watching you. Judging you and your every movement. You want her to send words swimming into the void. She wants you to send words swimming into the void. You speak. She thinks, ponders, contemplates. She sighs out a response, which sends the words crawling back down your throat. You should have stayed silent. She already thought you were a fool and now you've just confirmed it.
Silverware dances through the darkness. A splash of red. One last cry. One last glint of the moonlight. You have so many regrets, but one last threat persuades you to shut the window, to lock the door. The key sticks in the hole, but it turns full circle. You see the sideways stare. The black metal striking up; staring into the eye of the devil. You're safe. The person next to you isn't. You want to call, to shout, to scream, but the words are hiding in the bottom of your stomach. You're already a fool. Why remove the doubt?
They want you to stay silent. They want you to listen. They want you to forget the mushroom clouds, the wall of skulls, the bloodthirsty crowds. They want you to forget Vietnam, the Somme, the gladiatorial games. They want you to forget Khan, Stalin, Zedong and all of their victim's names. They want you to forget the horror, forget the pain. They want you to run from the rain. They want you to stay the lovable fool, the village idiot. Ignorance is bliss, isn't it? It is better to stay silent and remain a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt, wouldn't you agree?
*author's notes*
Bloody hell, this turned out dark and very abstract. This quotation really describes me. Yes...my very fragmented, disjointed thoughts concerning the given quotation. Hmm. All credit to Abraham Lincoln for the quotation, although it could have been Rami Belson who said this . With thanks to my friend Zayd for helping me edit this. This is one of my more abstract poems. Have a go at interpreting it. What do you think it means?
My latest in my poetry inspired by famous quotations.
1. Left Behind
2. Shattered
3. Crystal
4. Revival
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