Ideology

Around your neck, you wear your thoughts_ 
« Ring, ring, ring, » as if in warning, 
Tied tight in unravellable knots; 
To them, worn out_ to you, worn in. 

« You thinking leper, shy away! 
Thoughts are symptoms of leprosy! » 
« I’d rather be under the sway 
Of leprosy than heresy! » 
But to them, all you think or say 
Aggravates your pathology; 
They’ll shun you till you rue the day 
You caught an ideology.