With All Due Respect Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

We have come to tell you,
We find your actions to be...
Despicable, distasteful to our policies.
Disrespectful to our rules.
Offensive and totally nonconforming.
And...
You have rubbed us the wrong way.

'Whew!
That's a relief.
When I saw the two of you,
Approaching me with those huge smiles...
I thought you were about to deliver,
Well...
Bad news.

You see,
For the record...
I tried to tell you that myself when we first met.
But during that initial meeting,
When asked...
If anyone had anything further to discuss,
My raised hand was ignored.
And that meeting you ended.
You have to remember that?
I was then new on the scene.'

That's not the issue here.
What is it that you intend to do?

'Have I been honest? '

Too honest.

: 'Have I been direct? '

Too direct.

'Have I been accountable? '

Well...

'Have I or have I not been accountable? '

Well, yes.
And that's the one thing,
That is the most embarrassing to us.
You seem not to care you are ruining our reputations.

'You''ll get over it.
You think it's easy for me,
Getting up every morning...
'Knowing' that's the kind of person I am.
Do you know how I struggle through the day,
With that kind of guilt on my mind?
And not have a deceiving thought to share all day long?
Do you know how hard that is?
And to live with happiness around here, too?

You've asked me what I intend to do.
Is this correct? '

Yes.
What are your intentions.

'With all due respect.
My intentions are to ignore you.
Just like you did me when we first met.
I am sure that should be familiar.
Don't you all do that to yourselves as well? '