Written in years past for a youthful relative of the poet’s.

*****

Recorded Reading (1:59): https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/6lp9vbnp9hm9ukmu92kdx/To-a-Dissembling-Young-Lady.mp3?rlkey=p50krqe6oqvcnypj64bbhi30d&dl=0

*****

To a Dissembling Young Lady

You realize of course
That when you tell a lie to me
Or sidle past me hoping
I some misdemeanor didn’t see
You as absolutely are
Objectifying me
As any man uninterested
In your individuality

Projecting thus upon me
A spectrum narrowed to
Unattractive authority
You relegate unto
A cardboard cutout in the sitcoms
And the movies that you view
Good for but a backdrop
The young heroine’s adventures to

Not someone feels, as you would,
Like some sad buffoon
When they figure out they were
Just dancing to your tune ~
Continuing approval is
Something you just assume
Will be there waiting, soon as you
Walk back into your room,

Whether or not the interim
Some falseness did reveal —
It wasn’t, after all, my wisdom
Or my beauty did appeal
(As you described it, when you needed
Credibility to steal,
Giving not a thought to how it
Later made me feel)

So now you never answer texts
Or emails either, for you might
Have actually to live up
To words you wrote but for delight
Of someone destined victim be
To your next hand of sleight —
Well, this ‘next victim’ cares enough
To point out to you wrong from right

Even if you victimized
By myself now choose to feel,
To the point in which you always
Manage swift away to steal,
Which course of action, actually,
Holds for me much good appeal —
Come check back in if ever you
Can handle something real.

*****

Homeless until removal of the stalker/targeter/vandal/arsonist following her allows her to approach any landlord ~ even for a private parking space ~ this poet presently lives under perpetual threat of towing with all possessions should her 23-year-old van stop running for any reason.

She is badly in need of a modest reserve with which to field any emergency which might occur.

Donors may visit http://www.UgiftABLE.com , using code #72D-31S. It does take several days for the poet to be notified of your patronage.

Thank you for supporting quality in the fine arts.

*****