Taught to Think, Therefore
After our first argument,
You showed up the next day with two books—
One on how to argue,
The other on logical fallacies—
Saying, “If you’re going to argue with me,
At least do it right.”
I was seven then–
Fighting about having an ice cream
And it wasn’t the first time
You’d corrected me—
My words, my actions,
Always under your watchful eye.
However, thank you for that.
You expanded my reading list—
Rousseau, Mill, Sartre—
Even Seneca and Kautilya
About paradoxes and criteria
We dove into The Art of War and The Prince,
As though I was destined to rule a state
Or command the military,
But really it helped me,
In ways you might not see.
You taught me to think,
And in thinking, I became.
Now you say
I’ve become hard to win against,
That I’m always finding points of contention
In your passing observations.
And perhaps that’s the heart of it—
You taught me the value of doubt,
That certainty is fragile,
That every argument is a mirror,
Reflecting not just the world,
But the self.
Except, you’ve forgotten
What you taught me—
That the point of an argument
Isn’t to conquer,
But to move forward.
It is a journey.
So when I challenge you,
It’s not to defeat you,
It's not to gloat
But to keep us both
On this path we paved
Only through this,
Can we both be saved.
@azurePond
Your biographical pieces are very intense and this one is no exception, it is almost uncomfortable to read, like watching an argument that is getting personal. There is a smooth flow of progression from each stanza as the pupil learns, grows, and then surpasses the mentor. I liked how this poem appears to have multiple layers of things going on though; the first stanza seems to have notes of resistance against a didactic and almost oppressive influence with lines like 5-6 & 9-12. Yet there is a thank you just afterwards, which seems to act as foreshadowing of the next stanza in which your instruction continues in this intellectual vein, suggestive of detachment and cold logic. This too is then bridged with both an acknowledgement of how it's influence has been of use to you as well as the acknowledgment "You taught me to think, And in thinking, I became."
That line gave me the shivers, for I could read it two ways; that the person was helped to grow and develop self knowledge, AND/OR Thought and logical come to rule with no space for emotions.
I am quickly realising I am writing too much as this poem could easily spawn an essay. So rather than exploring the last two stanzas, I will just comment on the last four lines which I found profoundly moving and extremely sad. The feeling of two individuals, mentor and student somehow needing saving struck a chord. Well done.
*Bows in respect*
@BastionKnight Wow, thank you for such a thoughtful response! You’ve picked up on so many nuances I was hoping to convey, especially the layers of tension and transformation between the mentor and the speaker.
As for the last lines, I agree—it’s a sad note to end on, but it felt like the only honest conclusion to that relationship. There's this sense of both characters being in need of something more than just the intellectual, but neither able to give it, which I think sums up a lot of their mentor-speaker dynamics.
And that passing comment about 'surpassing the mentor' – I rather liked it ;)
Though, in truth, it's not entirely accurate. It’s more that the speaker experienced a 'unification of sensibilities' and came to realise that there is more joy in being human than in aspiring to be a flawless mastermind.
Anyway, I really appreciate your deep dive into the poem—your comment was thoughtful and insightful, and you’ve made me see parts of it in a new light. Essays are always welcome. See, I wrote one.
*Bows in respect*