Literal

Literal; huh, you'd hardly think it had 

any meaning beyond the obvious – 

or am I being too obtuse. It’s lateral 

span suggests there wasn’t sarcasm 

intended, or well-winnowed at best, 

so we go quietly with the flow. Time 

will tell we guess shrewdly & all nod 

like they really do agree 

Of course – they’re being literal too, 

it isn’t a choice you’ve to make any 

more than stating an obvious desire 

to be left out of the spat; so the mire 

in that’s even listening initially – and 

then deciding whether you’d hear 

© 3 September 2013, I. D. Carswell