"You Say That It's Gospel, But I Know It's Only Church"

We do seem to need
To tell each other
What to think, and not
Only from pulpits,
Lecterns, podia,

Or ex cathedra.
The casual group
Practicing yoga
In the neighborhood,
Friends over coffee,

Collaborators
Doing field research,
Pretty much any
Small pack of people,
Children to elders,

Have the potential
To play thought police.
It's an odd habit
When you consider
We're not mind readers.

Telling each other 
How to behave or
What to say makes sense.
Coercion is part
Of being social.

Cooperation,
Coordination
Require some synching.
Membership demands
Matching our plumage.

But why try so hard
To leverage language
Into thought control?
Thoughts are jungles, words
Mere birds in their leaves.