Innocuous

saying things from the fence
things that bear no consequence
things benign, things banal
things you’d tell any gal

no forward movement
is purveyed
nor backward glance
and noone’s swayed

no one squirms
within his shoes
you merely state
the common news

a high horse runs
on leveled sand
and no one takes
a questioned stand

reporting with
unbiased phrase
asking none
to change their ways

but are we here
to be safe and mild
or should we prod
and get men riled?

should we stoke
the fires within
should we poke
get in their skin?

prompting them
to promote change
prodding them
to rearrange?

©February 24, 2004