The Gossip Mongerers

The Gossip Mongerers (10th June 2008, 12.11pm)

You say something;
I’ll let a bit slip;
we’ll hint and circumlocute
without actually
spilling the beans,
because our beans are magic ones.

What constitutes a lie?
Is it the same as hiding truth?
If we say things in a certain way,
angled, like a roof,
the water of assumption
will cascade
and half-truths will become floods
and accusations will fill the room
with disgust.

Let’s construct an experiment;
let’s see what damage can be done
by revealing tiny glimpses,
by alluding to certain someones;
what’s the harm in it?
did gossip ever hurt
physically?

You start something;
I’ll add to it;
we’ll suggest and speculate
without actually
telling it straight,
because then we can’t be blamed.

How far can we take this?
Once the cat is out of the bag,
we’d better warn the pigeons,
claim that we heard
the rumours growing in corridors,
rather than
denying all knowledge about it, and
pretending that we weren’t listening
in the first place.

Let’s carry out an investigation;
let’s see how bitchy people are,
who is adding little details,
bending between ears and mouths;
there’s no harm in it;
society thrives on gossip,
doesn’t it?