One of the several down sides of the poetic profession.

As may be heard in the following recording, it’s unusually quiet on this residential side street tonight ~ except for the two drivers STILL farting their brakes explosively or clattering and clunking their work truck just by the poet’s little van.

Even after full restart the poet’s device fails to load an image for this post. Nor will it accept tags for same. She’ll try again later.

After all the contortions, it is 8:10 PM.

*****

Recorded Reading (6:02): https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ch9366860t9im3g85oyr8/Am-I-Inconvenient.mp3?rlkey=t02u3m4aua574beg1p3lrklvw&dl=0

*****

Am I Inconvenient?

Am I inconvenient?
Do I force you to rethink
All those parts
Reality of
You’ve the habit
Thinking stink?

I will not take refuge
Convenient slogans in ~
It’s time we all
Reach out
To one another

Now.

Begin.

Does this one speak for priveledge
And this one underclass?
Both of them
Are people
Nobody is
Just
An ass

Have you had bad experiences
With one or the other?
They have too,
My virtuous
But intolerant
Brother

Women, have you been abused
By troglodydic men?
Doubtless ladies
Raked them over
Those coals too
So think again

It is good pollution
Clearly point to, clearly name —
We all turn on
Our house heat
When it’s chilly
Just the same

We all wear clothing that’s been made
In abysmal misery
By workers
In some filthy
Third World
Factory

We eat meat raised in prisons
And veggies harvested in pain
By workers
Without water
Or a toilet ~
Think again

None of us is innocent.
All of us are kind
In one way
Or another,
Though stubbornly
Remaining blind

To the diff’rent contributions
Other kinds of persons give —
I embody
Daily
Truth: Live
And let live

It might be inconvenient
For you to hatred leave,
And interact
With somebody
Who wears her heart
Upon her sleeve

A heart which holds it paramount
That we forsake the blame
Revenge
Contention
And the satisfaction
Of a blackened name

Our angst, frustration, denigration
Put back on the shelf,
And concentrate
Each one on what
We can control:
The self

So we extend forbearance
In the present face
Of genuine
Diversity
In our human
Race

Not only unto those who
Think and act just as we do,
Keeping our
Compassion
For the very
Few ~

Do we imagine others’ lives,
Because they somewhat diff’rent dress,
No altruistic
Motive
May in any
Measure bless?

Might they have faced challenges
Of which we have no clue?
Are you as
Intolerant
Of them
As they are of you?

Do you listen to rock and roll,
So think a classic orchestra
On par with
Undeserving
Museums and
Elitist Mensa?

Do, otherwise, you patronize
The classic and serene,
But in an earthside
Drum circle
Have dancing wildly
Never been?

That’s fine with me, for nobody
Can do everything ~
Just do not
Your intolerance
For any other
To me bring

I will not debate with you
I’ll not hasten to defend
Those for whom
You feel no love
I’ll still be
Your friend

The thing is, it’s by habit
That eventually
You will bring
Intolerance
And pettiness
To me

Make it about motivations
Evil, underhanded and
Whatever other
Awful things
Imagine have
At my command

Leaving me no option
Forcing me into defence
Of myself
As yet another
Victim of your
Base intolerance

It’s at that time the observations
I have loving made,
This price in
Clarity and truth
For which I’ve
Willing paid,

Move early and uncomfortably
Clearly to the fore —
Because accepting
Such is simply
Inviting
A whole lot more

By all means, put your money
Where your deep convictions be,
By all means
Dreadful circumstance
Bestow upon
Publicity

Stop short, however, ere you start
Its author to a monster call —
Have you caused
No suffering
Upon this Earth
Yourself at all?

Are there no moments in your life
You wish could diff’rent be?
Things you didn’t
Understand?
Things you didn’t
See?

Or things you did you knew were wrong
But felt there was no other way
To get you from
The moment in
To the ending
Of that day?

Recalling those times, I will ask,
My blaming buddy: How
Do you feel
About them
When you think
About them now?

About as bad, I’m thinking,
As it’s possible to feel ~
But not enough
Forgiveness lend?
Come on, my friend
Get real.

There are no exceptions
To the Golden Rule ~
One who thinks so
Is the only
Person I will
Call a fool

Yes, I am inconvenient
That’s okay with me
Somebody here
Had better provide
A check on
Love’s reality

*****

This poet presently lives at a fraction of her nation’s poverty level.

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