Force

Don’t denigrate

yourself to me

I know too well

how much a subtle 

and keen conviction 

is hiding beneath

your appearance of 

modesty

why am I surrounded

by these men

who layer on 

a simple face

in order to mask 

the skull of a philosopher

you are no fool

bringing me Shakespeare

in the afternoon 

or theology 

in the morning 

if we are to talk

of the burning of witches

or identify the damned

with facial-recognition software

or sieve the internet

for the gold of knowledge

together

then no paper-thin

tissue of hearty laughter

or red-blooded amusements

will disguise your

intellect

I see how this

may have served you

even as not being

beautiful

has served me 

but let us agree

to speak truth

if only 

to one another.