Today’s prompt: “write a poem consisting entirely of things you’d like to say, but never would, to a parent, lover, sibling, child, teacher, roommate, best friend, mayor, president, corporate CEO, etc.” Well, that got very unwieldy very quickly—and not terribly interesting. But I thought I might be able to make something out of it…

You could have been nice about it
but you didn’t even give me a chance
just the scorn of big eyes and the weapon of “no”

What were we, seven?
I just wanted to get to know you
and you weren’t even around that long, anyhow

Five years later, you were back
Of course, you ignored me
but the damage was already done

And you were actually kind of obnoxious,
though I no longer remember much else about you
except that you were—again—quickly gone

(the damage not undone)

(12 April 2013)