It is not easy to take the high road
When you have been wronged,
Especially when it was deliberate,
A concerted effort to hurt you.
As a store manager my job was coveted
By many, but Susan tried the hardest
I even heard her on the telephone
Dissing me to our general manager.
Instead of firing her on the spot
Which I had enough evidence to do,
I talked to her about her behavior
And explained why it had to stop.
From then on, I bent over backwards
To help her achieve her very best
So, when I left the job for another
I recommended that she replace me
Learning basic ethics and respect
Made all the difference in the world
For Susan … and for me, as well.
SIXTH PLACE WINNER
written October 17, 2021
especially for "The High Road" Poetry Contest
sponsored by Regina McIntosh
Author Dana Redricks
July 18, 2019
People don't show their appreciation and quick to point out our flaws. I often think of God and what he must sometimes think of us. We murmur and complain overlooking his many blessings. I know it breaks my heart to hear someone complaining when I ask the simplest things, when I know I've bent over backwards to help the other person the best way I could. What hurts worse is when you need a hand that same hand pushes you away. I know I'm not perfect and never claimed to be. No wonder it displeases God so to see a selfish person who is always unwilling to give instead always wanting just to receive. Nothing good comes from greed it will only eat you alive in the end.
You picked him over me and I won't be a second choice
If things go wrong then go crying to anyone else but me
I don't want to hear how you made a mistake or that you love me
When you need guidance I won't be the reassuring voice
I respect your decision but I'm not going to wait
I know you think because you're pretty you think the whole world is your slave
But I won't be that, I've got too much pride and self respect
I bent over backwards for you and you haven't even helped me yet
You never appreciated the effort I put in
Which makes sense now, as you also had him
I'm long gone now, you won't ever again be in my thoughts
I never want to hear from you again, even if he falls short
Everything to do with you has been deleted
Never come to me with a sorry because I don't need it
You called me his name, so I told you to go be with him
I really don't care about what you see in him
I won't be waiting or hoping, that's not how I get down
You didn't appreciate me, so I'm glad you're gone
I don't care whether he breaks your heart or if he's the one
Just know, I'm forgetting you now, so I won't be around
Since you died, this is the second Mother's Day that has come around.
Since March of 2013, peace and tranquility aren't things that I've found.
You were one of the greatest mothers who ever lived.
You constantly thought of others, you always loved to give.
People have always loved you because you were so kind.
If people couldn't see how good you were, they were blind.
I still feel lost even though you've been dead for over a year.
I would tell you how much you mean to me if you were here.
My brother and I had to end your suffering by taking you off the respirator.
I still miss you like crazy even though it's been fourteen months later.
It was so hard to see you suffer and die.
You were one in a million and that's no lie.
You always bent over backwards to be good to me and my brother.
I'm very proud and was so lucky to have you for my mother.
[Dedicated to Agnes Johnson (1948-2013) who passed away on March 6, 2013.]
I tried to be what you wanted
I've done everything you asked
I've literally bent over backwards
No matter how hard the task
You told me I could trust you
So why did you have to lie?
You've made me feel so worthless
Even the tears I've cried
And how many wasted kisses
Have I just simply thrown away?
And now the truth seems empty
I can't believe a word you say
Forgiveness is a foreign word
As far as you're concerned
I can't believe it took this long
Before I finally learned
Honesty is so important
To make a marriage last
But today, our future is over
For it's now become our past
When I first met you
I didn’t know what to do
You were everything I wanted
And I thought you loved me too
But unfortunately
It wasn’t meant to be
Oh, god why couldn’t I see
That you weren’t the guy you pretended to be?
Do you have any idea how much it hurt me
To see you standing there
With track marks on your arms?
Do you know how much harm you’ve caused me?
The stress you put on me is too much for me to bear
It isn’t fair after all the time we shared together
I thought you’d learnt to trust me a bit better
To see you waste away like that
Is one of the hardest facts I’ve ever had to deal with
At least you tried to deal with it
You went away and came back strong and fit
We tried again
And of course it came to an end
You bent over backwards just to please me
But you just couldn’t just let it be
Can’t you see?
That you meant and still mean everything to me?
But how can I cope
We’ve tried again and again and there isn’t any hope
I just want you to know
That I will always care
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