Surely You Jest!

Surely You Jest!

Shall I crouch a step beneath you
that you may lord your arrogant
'think you know it all' attitude
over me? Make you smile
when you would cry? Distract you
from your many problems?
I think not!
For the wise realize
that the Jester,
the Fool,
was the only one
the high and mighty could count on for truth.
So, go ahead,
play me for the fool,
but when you run out of options
do not
come running to me
and expect or hope or, perhaps, pray
for a kind, loving gesture
I ran out. Love sank,
swamped in crocodile tears.
Words drowned. False promises
echoing until the sounds mean nothing.
Rotting lies layered over decomposing excuses
make for vile cesspit. You're in
a place where nothing can grow.
Perhaps, the kindest thing that I could do
is walk away
before the last seeds of love decay,
before the last flowers of faith in you are crushed.
Perhaps the wisest.
Or, perhaps,
I shall try again to offer guidance, support,
a safe plot where a garden can grow.
But only if you wish it so. Only
if you want it so badly, so keenly
that you will flay off the excuses, the lies,
the rotting shell of what was
and let what may be
have a chance to grow.
It is all on you. It is up to you.
It always will be, it always was.
Either you want it
or
you don't.
I no longer will play your fool,
and you need to know:
you fool no one.