“Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.” – Mark Twain
*
Tempest Tamer
Twain said it – I believe it
Experience as a therapist
Proves it over and over
Again
And again in the bar
The party of elite
Voices rising takes me
Back
In graduate school
Stressing the importance
Conflict resolution
The angriest client speaks
First
Survival skills honed in
Infancy – an excellent listener
Often called on to diffuse the
Tempest
There was one storm
Where failure was
Abysmal – one does not choose
Parents
*
Bisous,
Léa
poetry, photos and musings oh my! 
there is a saying in the bible that when you teach a wise man he will listen and become even wiser – but for the fool – all hope is lost… i find it a sad truth…
Perfect title for a great poem with a strong message Lea, just wonderful. and of course, you have nudged me towards Mark Twain 😄 xxx
Thank you Christine. I’m afraid I am far from alone in this experience as attested to by another post I found right after posting. The two fit together without a seam… Any nudge toward Twain is one in a good direction. I do hope you enjoy. Of course things like Huckleberry Finn will be great for the wee folk in a few years.
I think I started Huckleberry Finn years ago but abandoned it; I wasn’t in a very receptive place 😊 ️xxx
Yes, I know that place! As the kids would say, been there, got the t-shirt. 😉 xxx
very clear and wise post, Léa… ❤
ah, our dearest, witty and smart Mark Twain… 🙂 he must have often said to himself:"I dislike(hate) myself for being (almost) always right…" 🙂
Merci beaucoup! Another quote from the master for my list… 🙂 If he didn’t ‘say’ it, it is because it wasn’t written down. I’ve no doubt he must have said it. 😉
Too true to be good, Léa.
Twain is also reported to have said: everybody complains about the weather but nobody does anything about it.
As he is not with us, in the flesh, any longer I shall choose to believe he said anything that sounds like he just might have said it. C’est la vie! Especially when it is positive about cats! 😉
Love that quote and your poem. We have all been this fool at one stage or another Lea.
I saw that quote on someone’s post and the rest just followed it Kath. Of course I do enjoy Twain.
Love how the Masters inspire your own work can’t get any better than that Lea.
Kath, I can only try. But some writers do inspire me and he is one of them.
Wonderful quote and poem Lea, your words are wise beyond measure. 🙂 xx
Becka, as they say, hindsight is 20/20!
Thank you Becka. I’m afraid it is the voice of experience. xx
I’m back online Léa and catching up, only to find this one first from you – what a wonderful poem, so true, so real, so authentic – yet sometimes even those we ‘choose’ can disappoint…
How true Polly. Thanks for the support!