“The Better Half” [War – Sub Series Number One – Reflections on Timothy Snyder’s Book, On Tyranny – Poem #15 – Chapter 15]

The better half of what this guy has said,
Comes from Sun Tzu – pay heed or we’ll be dead –
“Your friends keep close” (the message this guy sees),
“But enemies much closer”, Sun Tzu pleas.

Of course to him, it keeps you in the loop;
But better still – it keeps us from the soup –
How few hang out and listen to them close,
Hear what is said – do that, or we’ll be toast.

That was the part I learned that day at court –
Shut up; pay heed; resist just making sport
Of other side – ask what’s their point of view?
Don’t be surprised when you hear something new.

The left and right both hate those out of line –
“Tight” is the word describing how refined
They want their group – outsiders not allowed;
“Keep friends in close” and “to our image bowed”.

Lord, we’re all nuts, “Who’s blind but servant?” reads
The Scripture text – we’re blind and cannot see;
Don’t even look beyond our bonds of “trust”,
So crap’s refined – as we for power lust.

One guy quipped, “Guys who lurk around our wives,
Have one agenda, nothing else survives
But the long-term lust – ‘possess her at all cost’;”
It’s similar to here – win out, or all is lost.

Lord, this is nuts – self-righteous is our cause;
But it is not – for we don’t even pause
To listen up to what the other sings,
From hearts as true as ours, in all such things.

Thanks Lord for this.

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