Listening With Intent Meant Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

I am 'still' that same person.
Calm in demeanor.
Protective with reflective respect.
Focused and attentive.
With no beating around the bush,
From me does anyone get.

Honest to a fault.
And sometimes naïve I can be!
However,
I am 'there'...
Giving!
And listening with intent meant.
With an empathy felt,
And no holding onto a silent resentment.

And 'you'...
Thinking me as someone easy to use,
Believed me to be...
One of many,
Massed produced commodities.

The years I've lived only made me wiser...
And much more alert.

Do I flirt with possibilities?
No.

Can I walk backward and do flip flops?
If I so desired I could.

But there is no one on the horizon...
Or near the detection of my radar,
I would consider jumping through hoops.
Remember...
I once did that for you.
Whipped and willingly trained.

But somehow you ended up playing the fool.
And fools pollute the air.
I can't be around them.
I have allergies!