Dear Sumojo  ~
Some powerful imagery that connect to emotions related to social interactions with intrusive questions. It strikes as a very important issue in a world ever prying to get at something that goes beyond a casual encounter. This, may be the latter. But, I’ll project to show parallels found to a pathology of modern day intrusion.
What I’m noting is how you notate opening interrogatory and the following response. You start with the bold black font to open, it’s implies bad or menacing, a very overpowering influence that may be seeking compliance. The response, like a Buffalo Stance, isn’t giving in. But, you speaker is contemplating, noting ‘despise’, making me if they know each other. It doesn’t feel threatening in a physical sense, lacking supporting images. This helps shift to the ever-present psychology behind invasion of one’s privacy.
It feels compelling forces know they can work one over that might have a tell, an area of weakness. Maybe, just by bullying, more artlessly, getting at what they’re thinking. How you demonstrate this open line, to be stoic, yet as reader, feel the shift to finally open up as a result of coercion. To better demonstrate, some imagery that adds to the interrogatory persistence might help a reader feel and relate to a feeling of a persisting burden.
The respondents redirect of eyes to sky shows a veiled weakness. But, the hesitation to respond and consider, before offering a reply that lends nothing to the party of the first part, shows intelligence and patience. But, when these sorts who meddle with others assert, if they’re working an angle, fishing for something, they won’t quit, especially the narcissists.
So, while this could be just an intimate relationship, the overall message feels like intrusion on privacy in a surveillance state. We slowly lose freedoms, like privacy, identity to thieves, or basic freedoms that should be guaranteed. It’s not like any restraining order will be forthcoming, the way I read. This is essentially need to keep one’s sanity.
Your unusual poem goes right back to some very telling inner thoughts. It’s showing mental torture from predators allowed to prey with seemingly innocent questions. In this scenario, it seems tone of the interrogator’s voice is enough to feel intimidation, as yet without physical depiction. This is a psychological and social commentary that need be heard, might be intoned, if people are listening or watching communications.
The inner dialogue represented here is a person made to feel prisoner in their own mind. They know the presence and this intrusion are leading somewhere. This can be handled with the expression, “I feel unsafe.” This appears one-on-one, but seems a systemic issue where most who pry all play from the same narcissist handbook. It’s actually very simple, making these sorts seem pathetic.
Narcissism calls the shots, controls narratives, squeezes you when you try to escape, plays rope-a-dope when one fights back. Everything intimated vaguely they try to get one to infer. That’s where their narrative can apply. Many in society are lambs being lead to some slaughter. I feel a lamb that is trying to be defiant, knows what’s at stake. However, having no game to outwit, that a lamb can’t outlast these basic bullies. They don’t have the fortitude of those nosy busybodies.
This is a scenario where anything you give, even if silence, is connotated as something. The impossible is getting them to relent, admit another’s narrative, nor will allow defeat. They are the writers of false gossip, idles lies, that further the struggles of one cut off, isolated, made to feel alone. In comes the gaslighting. It’s very telling from this introspect you’ve portrayed.
They have a way of reading body language, aversion to assemble notions of fears and weaknesses that a lamb can be trapped by. Society is devolving into dehumanization, becoming wolves, destroying the fabric of community, the mantle of trusted friendship. And, what I see here is someone talking themself into non-compliance, but then, ta-da! We get the ending.
You intrigue with, “You wouldn’t want to know.” I could feel a table turn. Just to end on that, give a reader pause, I wonder if the inquisitive one is stalled, too.
Truly, physically, only the speaker of this poem demonstrates. The poem itself could reveal, but it’s only inner dialogue shared with reader friends. It shows a kind of safety to get the questioner to infer. They have to ask if some subterfuge with that last comment you’ve offered. Ending on it is the statement. Is it a bluff, is there really something they don’t want to hear? The latter, me thinks.
This can read as a relationship on the rocks. This could be fantasized dialogue undelivered, or there may be work, other interpersonal dealings that produce this. And, but not giving it context, just letting the inner workings air out, many can relate to being preyed upon. Here, I find the speaker now holds the power through the ambiguous. It’s the best you might be able to do in the face of these interferringbtypes.
There’s a lot to unpack from this. It’s very relevant today. It’s so hard to pinpoint or define. The lambs that complain get labeled, told get over it by intermediaries who should know. This is a tactic employed by more every day, outside of home: at work, in a social dynamic or hang out, at a place where something additional is sold from fries to extra insurance. Greed will bleed us dry of not only money, but sanity.
What you composed is universal, is applicable and what many feel as a perversion to interrupt our daily lives with emails, texts and robocalls. The level of noise getting higher inside the minds of the meek, downtrodden and troubled. It was supposed to be reserved for police interrogation, instead teaching people to be evasive, better liars, more deceptive, pass those polygraphs, to get security of mind and identity, to stay calm.
Thus, society is becoming insensitive, less availing, discourteous, negatively impacted by the persistence for information they have no right to compel another to fork over. Unsafe, unsafe I say.
This is a well thought and displayed Imaginary dialogue that has roots in society that extend out and beyond. It’s very compelling to me. Put them on notice. Our personal information is not to be sold to third party types. What if one steals our identity. Safe-guarding can be unknowable, until you test to see who your friends are. It can be assumed it’s none, just for that sanity, leaving us isolated. Blame politics in America, too. We’re divided while our parents fight.
Great job! I tout this. Let’s get back to humanizing and stop defaming people you shouldnt extort. All criminally prosecutable, by the way. And let them know, apologies are accepted without preface, if played right. Stalemate is the best you get, unless…they aren’t the narcissist.   If nothing else, they might shut up. 
Nailed it,
Brian
disAbility Writers Group
and I Write in 2025 Reviewer
If any don’t agree, don’t credit this review. I’m for honest, not deceitful, discourse. I’m for human rights and NOT the privileged…or the constant hypocrisy, easily checked, yet none do. Cowards or no one have their back. Cover me. I’m going in! Area is clear. That’s a wrap. *shrug* |
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| (4.5)
| (4.0)
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I enjoyed the poem. Happy Anniversary this month. Thought I’d drop in and give one of your offerings some feedback with a good word.
The whole verse devoted to opening scene. I could only assume what to visualize, so googled ‘speckled’ in baking terms. You know, I never knew thst. But, I see it now, but was confused. I plug that in. I know the baking pans for my zucchini bread very well. They are stressed and don’t keep their form anymore. Know it so well, it feels it belongs to mother. These visuals and the potential interaction within form, harmonize. It’s also like a thinly veiled story that includes intro to characters, the presumed action in building a recipe, the subconscious conflict with doubt, the unfinished mix lay in wait and we cut to end with a call to action, if not encouragement through morality play. Like serve your banana bread today.
👨🎓 Exactly, none. Sloppy work.
*drives bus off road into ocean* *lifepreserver* 
