Selective Blindness

What happens when personal loyalties conflict with sworn duty? If you are a secret policeman..

I never saw my friend today,

As we conducted our security sweep.

I did not see him turn away,

His wife will have no cause to weep.

The first time I didn't see him,

He was in a boat upon the bay.

It seemed that my eyes grew dim,

Or was it the grey of a rainy day?

The next time he appeared,

Was in a crowded restaurant room.

When he spoke to me I feared,

That I would be his doom.

But I did not hear his greeting,

So I did not have to turn my head.

My companion's attention was fleeting,

Or my friend would have been dead.

I did not see him with his wife,

Out walking hand in hand.

I could not bear to take his life,

As they fled across the sand.

Selective blindness can be a blessing,

Wilful ignorance is oft the key,

To allowing the good to go missing,

To setting the righteous free.

I used to be a man with a mission,

To make the world a better place,

But dictators have corrupted my vision,

To survive I must avert my face.

I wonder when I next won't see my friend?

Will my forbearance be enough?

In the end will I be his end?

Or am I made of sterner stuff?

© 2018 The Iron Horseman

Author's Note

This one was born out of a particularly nasty nightmare! Still, we take our inspiration wherever we find it.

Reviews

[Chryiss]

Definitely had to read this more than once to grasp the content more. I have a habit of not reading the description beforehand, so when I finally did the second time, it made more sense, haha. I initially thought this was selective blindness in that we see and hear what we want, but with the description I now understood it as the conflict with duty and your own personal sense of duty (or beliefs/values/morals, or in this case, personal loyalties). I like how this conflict can be applied in ways other than a secret policeman or solider conflict with their job versus their personal feelings. It's the society versus man and or self conflict, but you've conveyed it very artfully and poignantly--thank you for sharing!

[The Iron Horseman]

Thank you, Chryiss. This is one of my favorite pieces. The conflict between duty and personal loyalties can be severely stressful, as many people in military and para-military positions can tell you from hard-won experience. The character in my poem is trying to do the right thing by simply refusing to see his friend, but the strain is proving immense.

[Chryiss]

I really loved how you expressed that in your poem! I was actually trying to pinpoint in my earlier review what it was specifically that hit a chord with me. And now I realized, that refusal to see the friend was my favorite part--that in trying to "protect" a friend, you distance yourself; it's something which people tend to do in relationships. It's very relatable, and that emotional strain definitely came across strongly.

[The Iron Horseman]

Thank you again, my friend. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas.

[Nipplegrinder]

I revisited this.
It's stark. Brilliantly spun.
Fitting, "forbearance", in?
Nniiiicce.

[The Iron Horseman]

Thanks, NG. I'm glad you came back for another visit, because this is one of my personal favorites, one of those rare occasions when something says exactly what you wanted to say in the way you wanted to say it. I must admit, in my own case, personal loyalty wins every time!
Have a great Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year, my friend. I will raise a glass of cheer in your honor.

[SilverInk]

What a nightmare, indeed! Inspiration can come from many different places, and I, for one, am glad you chose to draw it from a nightmare. Great job!

[The Iron Horseman]

Thank you, Silver. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[Richard McLin]

I'm reading this as a submission for my "Mystery Poem" contest, and damn if this isn't mysterious as hell. I love it. I'm sorry it was born from a nightmare, but many of my material was as well. This is a great piece.
-Richard

[The Iron Horseman]

Thank you, Richard. I'm glad you liked it. And another thank you for running the competition. Contests help to make this place fun! Enjoy your reading.

[Richard McLin]

That's true, they are fun to enter, and create.

[Norman 223]

Ambition, even in the workplace, can lead to disloyalty to colleagues, when promotion beckons. Although your poem is more specific in its message, I immediately saw a parallel, that is now pervading the members of our own Parliament in this country. The internal public backbiting destroys any public respect for them.
As you implied in your intro. We take our inspiration wherever we find it.

[The Iron Horseman]

I couldn't agree more, Norman. As you may have noticed from some of my previous work I have a deep-seated contempt for politicians of all stripes.Not only are they no longer worthy of respect, most of them should be in jail!

[Norman 223]

Regarding our mutual contempt of politicians, you might like to read my "I've got a little list", ( page 13)
which I think qualifies our views.
Norman

[The Iron Horseman]

I will check it out.

[Paul Bell]

This must be the worse scenario in life.
Infiltration comes to mind.
But you get close to people.
So at that point in time. Can you pull the trigger?

[The Iron Horseman]

I was not thinking so much of infiltration situations as scenarios where a member of a repressive police regime experiences conflict with lifelong loyalties to personal friends and family.

[Travis Gibson (poetic h..]

Had to read this twice! This reflects one of my greatest fears, losing my ability to choose. Honor bound by the soldier's code has to be some kind of conflict when faced with orders you don't necessarily agree with. The "enemy" isn't always the one's in front of you... this was masterful.

[The Iron Horseman]

Thank you, Travis. I am glad you liked it. I understand your dilemma. In that kind of conflict you are in a no win situation. I hope you never have to live through that nightmare of yours! Semper fi!

[Travis Gibson (poetic heroics)]

Thanks to those who choose the path of service... I don't have to worry much about it in that capacity. The sacrifice is noticed, thank you.

[The Iron Horseman]

You're welcome.

[Nipplegrinder]

There is a sarcasm here that I really appreciate. Though inspired by a dream, this resonates with today's political climate. Well woven, brother.

[The Iron Horseman]

Thanks, NG. That is what I was going for - caustic!

[barleygirl]

One of the most brilliant pieces I've read lately. I love the way you express it all in an understated way, kinda subtle, very sarcastic, yet somehow also conveying the back pressure the narrator must be feeling all the while. In California especially, with so many of our Hispanic friends, the atmosphere is feeling quite gestapo these days. You've stated it in a way that could apply to many places around the globe as things feel more & more fascist. I'm really in awe of the way you wrote this with such solid rhyming & also the many specific examples well-painted in words (((HUGS))) fondly, Margie

[The Iron Horseman]

Thank you, Margie. I love your reviews; they are always so perceptive! It was fascist-like regimes that I had in mind when I wrote this, which to me, unfortunately, nowadays includes Homeland Security! Let's hope they don't read this or we might disappear! :D (At least, I hope I am joking!)

[barleygirl]

Someone told me that maybe this website was down the past couple weeks becuz the gestapo read something I wrote badmouthing the Bully in the Pulpit! *smile* It's funny to read your reply here, becuz right after this, the website did go down! You must be very psychic! (((HUGS)))

[The Iron Horseman]

Just a little bit! :D It actually surprise me with the Brain-dead Billionaire in charge! Didn't you guys used to have something called a Constitution? Oh, I forgot, it was suspended by the misleadingly titled Patriot Act! Oops, I think I see a black helicopter hovering nearby. :)

[BBP]

I can't even imagine. In America it is very easy to have loyalty as a virtue..to your friends..to your country..to your beliefs. In other countries they have no such luxury.

[The Iron Horseman]

You are right about that. I was visualising South America when I wrote this.

[BBP]

I was visualizing North Korea lol