The World Beyond Words

Friends, waste not your time
Conversing with friends
In coffee shops
You have talked enough
What else is there
To know about each other;
Do you want to talk about
How your wife or son/daughter
No longer listens to you
But why spill the family secrets
To this friend of yours;
Is it world politics
That you want to discuss
Leave such matters
To those whose job it is
To deliberate on such matters;
Want to talk about
The latest book you have read
Ah, one has no patience left --
Ideas, theories, and hypotheses
Leave them well alone
Or engage with them if you so wish,
Just leave me out of it;
Do you want to tell me
How your mood is bad these days
I am tired of being the shoulder
That you want to cry on
You must be having
Other friends for that;
Do you want to chat about
Topics philosophical in nature
Ah, my friend,
Now you are talking,
But, drat,
Philosophy is best understood
In complete silence --
So, next time we meet
Or call each other
Let us revel
In each others'
Silent presence
Because only very rarely 
You'll have a friend
Who just lets you be.