implicit bargains, determining
where our sympathies lie —
the half-truths and non-truths we accept
as tribal membership, full-knowing
the weapons we wield will one day
be used against us.

being wounded never made anyone right,
it just made arguing with them
off-limits; similarly, we look to
loneliness to hallow our desires,
finding only afterwards that
hearing no criticism doesn’t mean
having no regrets —

we use science to justify 
our failings while censuring others, and
we choose moral sides without
real knowledge of specifics, but

our sympathies lie because


we do