Never finished answering to the dead
Prompt from Have You Prayed? Li-Young Lee
Sit up straight
Get your elbows off the table
Good manners don't cost
Less haste, more speed
What’s the magic word?
Have you tidied your room?
What time do you call this?
Smile!
You whisper in my ear when I'm shopping
You remind me to try harder
You interrupt when I am thoughtless
You correct my grammar
You reprimand impoliteness
You even follow me on a night out
Like a sentimental trinket, I carry your voice
Haunted by memories that chastise
Forever remembering your lessons
Forever remembering you.
24 May 2022
Unkindness is
My most powerful pet hate
Possibly my only one
This includes
meanness, unfairness, rape, murder,
cruelty to animals, impoliteness,
disrespect, theft, swearing and bad manners
Unless I am really in the swearing mood and no one is around.
I hear you laughing, my sworn enemy.
Oops! Was that unkind? Dhramn!
Disrespect, disdain, disregard, and disapproval
all fit under this umbrella.
Whipping children with yardsticks,
flyswatters, switches, and belts, and leaving
animals tied up outside to die also fit under there
Unkindness is my only pet hatred.
People who are hurting the most have
endured one unkindness or another
I am sorry I called you my sworn enemy
Can I now be your sworn friend? When you
laughed at me you hurt me.
This also told me that someone has been
unkind to you. Do you want to talk about it?
Poetry contest: It Really Gets me Going
Sponsor: Kevin Shaw
Written May 19, 2019
Thank yous or pleases, will not spread diseases
They can be put to use as you will
It’s a guaranteed fact that politeness and tact
Have never made anyone ill
Civility’s free you can take it from me
That it won’t cost a penny old chum
Practice a while with your Sunday best smile
Impoliteness makes everyone glum
Good manners are things that shouldn’t have strings
Every day they must be put to use
Exploit etiquette you will garner respect
‘cause for rudeness there is no excuse
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