Ticking

It is hard to know just what will make you detonate
You seem so high strung, so on edge, so full of doubt
And you think we must pay the price
We all tip-toe around you, no one knows what the trigger is or will be
How can we?
Sometimes you misinterpret a “Please” or a “Thank you”!
Until you, no one yelled at us for being kind
People weren’t threatened when we achieved, when we went after success
You thwart progress
We empathize somewhat
Because we know that in your world, there lives only you
The others are inconsequential, except for their role in your survival
You thrive on their downfall; you support it or make it happen
You feed on glory, we must know our place with you; a subservient tremble makes you shine
No one else can have any authority; they will never be worthy
Sadly, in our world, it’s not only us
You are there too
We are frantically working on how to deactivate this you
You cannot truly enjoy being this way and more importantly
We have to spare those other lives

Keri S. Smith