Rank: Generally Speaking

Generally speaking,
Most generalizations
Are no more valid
Then are colonelizations
Or majorizations,
Captain or lieutenantizations.
None of it holds up
Until the very bottom
Wherein dwells the lowly
Privatizations.
The same word for
The Army's most lowly
And capitalism's biggest trump.
That would be a
Generalization.
Commander-In-Chiefly speaking
Is not worth
Speaking of-
Generally or privately.

Privately speaking,
I hope you won't repeat
What I tell you in confidence
But can't be assured
Even by professional assurance.
I know
And know of
Too many professionals.
Corporally speaking or
Whispering sergeantly
Doesn't work much better.
A hard lesson is that
Secrets are only assured
By not telling them.
Rank simply
Doesn't matter.
Please keep that
Private.

As a boy,
'Ranking' meant
To be humorously vulgar
While putting someone down.
With nervous grins
We would rank
Each other's mothers
Expecting verbal non-battles
To go nowhere
And to not be taken
Seriously
Among friends.
There are probably
More real friends among
Privates and children
Then among those
With more years or
With higher rank.

Generalizations that ring true
Can make a person
Nervous
And just a little sad.