I've camped around that fire some. It's the smell of our better sensibilities going up in smoke, when we sometimes clam-up too quickly. For one's self there must be no compromise with that which one knows to be the lower value. Well and poetically said, MFS. Thank you.

I stopped throwing water on that fire a long time ago. It almost got me fired once but I survived. Really well said MSF. One can be civil and still make a point. But sometimes.... incivility comes boiling over.

Really a timely poem for post election season, although I can sure relate to this at my former work place also. I like your "stuck in the maybe this time" phrase.

...a tough call, every time...should I?, should I not?...it's a coin-toss...good succinct-very/real write...

I guess it depends - upon whom you're communicating with and how well you 'know' them. Intuition is a two-way thing - knowing yourself is an integral part of it, and something you have displayed here. Mostly I wish hindsight could be accessed before the event :) A social dilemma well addressed here...