You Assume Too Much Poem by Edward Clapham

Assumptions: cunning little devils, always sneaking up and
tripping up the clearest thought or the wisest head;
insinuating themselves into cherished beliefs, firm opinions
and the well worn habits of mind and body.

Assuming: convincing thinking and rationalising, straightfaced
delivery of error and misconception to an unsuspecting
psyche; there to lead astray, giving form to dark despairs
or euphoric imaginations in an unreal world.

Habits of thought, their errors compounded by the
ceaseless whirl of the mind: too much thinking, too little
action, too few spoken words, a gaze too much inwards,
our inner world too much with us.

I assume too much: why then, how do I escape the
clutches of assumptions, their subtle presence hidden
from my eyes; where is the Watcher who sees and marks
the insidious self deception, the tangled web of errors?

Fight fire with fire: match devil with Fiend, sharp
witted and with keen insight, to haul up sharp my
tumbling thoughts and let some sense prevail; Oh friendly
Fiend, why I thank you.............. I'm assuming that's OK?