Saintly Presence [rev] Poem by Margaret Alice Second

Such gentle and upstanding colleagues, all pillars
of the community; an exceptionally kind teammate
disciplined me to show how overly unwelcome my
attitude of consideration is - chagrined I kneeled in
awe of her Christian tranquility & thus I confess my

Knavery here - the only place where I'm free to be
heard, in the office every gesture of mine is found
wanting; ashamed of contaminating my confrères'
sanctuary I fled home while feeling contrite, guilty
& sinful as I was in their dutiful, saintly presence

If only I could sink into the earth, if only I could be
swallowed by the land of my birth - it is clear that
the person I am is an insult to humanity; well, after
sailing on my stomach at work, & indicating to my
beloved what had happened, he sided with them

Immediately, my misplaced friendship attempts are
abominable and should end with immediate effect -
yes - it's clear my only purpose on earth is to learn
humility - thus I'm perpetually put in my place as
the most irritating person around, at home I learn

To accept my colleagues are eternally superior
and I'm an idiot who should learn to be content
with my fate as lost among the morally advanced…