You Cannot Force a Willing Mind

You cannot force a willing mind
to yield, and end its restless quest
to lose the chains and ties that bind.

The ancients said that love is blind,
but see your lover clearly, lest
you cannot force a willing mind.

Two minds and bodies, souls entwined,
can help each other pass the test
to lose the chains and ties that bind.

Someones, though, seek another kind
of freedom, at their own behest.
You cannot force a willing mind,

and so they leave their will behind,
consenting, for they think -- at best --
too loose the chains and ties that bind.

If, when you search your heart, you find
devotion, you are truly blessed.
You cannot force a willing mind
to lose the chains and ties that bind.

This villanelle placed first in a poetry writeoff. Usually I don't even bother with tight deadlines, but inspiration struck as soon as I saw the prompt "you cannot force a willing mind".

Some commenters there found it a bit difficult to decode, but my regular readers might recognize "consenting" and "devotion" as Clocktower Society dog-whistles, which ought to make it easier.

(I've made a few slight updates here with respect to the writeoff version).

Comments

[TheJediMasterEd]

Huh. A villanelle. And it's actually pretty good.

Kinda reminds me of "anyone lived in a pretty how town"