On a scale of 1 to 10

What an invitation this is,

for what ensues.

As if I were out hunting,

say pheasants,

in a somewhat grassy

open field of the mind.

There, where such items

are called out

to be sighted

and then quickly appraised

as if fired upon

by a numerical value assigned

1 to 10 . . . boom!

Once it is named,

it jumps up

into cognitive view.

What loads and fires quickly

is not clarified before the call

but it does happen.

Some being of self

assesses,

some muted critical remark

is inwardly heard.

Either of an ‘aha’

or a so-so nature

is there to back it up

and a settling occurs

across this room of the view.

And an inward consensus

seems to rapidly circulate,

and somewhere,

out of that crowd,

a number is pronounced.

Surely a defense for that callout

is readily prepared to respond.

It may not need be rendered

but the prep work

got done anyway.

Sometimes that finalizer voice

seems to shift

from where

it could have been

as a caring implied

with a deep sense of sincerity

into the choice

starkly called out

as hurled, either

from a place of spoof

or a ludicrous reply,

or a wise ass of mischief,

or an ornery account.

So on a scale of 1 to 10,

there is a call out

with some seasoned aloofness

you may come to respond to.

Who wants to reveal

such an inner worth?

Easily you can respond

as if it were a question,

with another question.

Like who is asking?

Or who wants to know?

So on a scale of 1 to 10,

how much

do you actually want

to reveal?

It is sort of like

a truth or dare.

But more sideways

in its approach.

Some may play

with all honesty,

while others

would never let the truth

be known.

So on a scale of 1 to 10,

with ten being the most

and one being the least,

how much is this an invitation

begging for your opinion

to firmly stand its ground?

No, really,

on a scale of 1 to 10?