Too Slow To Notice Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

It has already been done 'your' way.
With you to choose to refuse my advice.
And...
If I must say,
With years of patience and tolerance used.
And with my inconvenience to you known and shown.

That I have yet to accuse you of being disrespectful,
Thoughtless or selfish and indulgent of my sincerity...
Without expressing to you a hint of bitterness,
Has perhaps aided your self-centeredness at my expense.

And even if this I did do,
You had others perceive me to be the culprit to believe...
It was your time and not mine that had been wasted.
When I should have taken it to throw back in your face.

'Why this 'sudden' and inappropriate attitude?
I've done absolutely nothing to deserve this from you.'

You know.
You are right.
You've only been here today five minutes.
And a collective fourty or more years does seem overnight.
Doesn't it?
Let's just say...
Time flies and you are just too slow to notice.

'What should I have done?
I am not a mind reader.'

Perhaps in the doing of your own homework,
You would have discovered the answers...
To not depend on ignorance to believe I am stupid,
As often as you did.
A friend to you I have been.
A fool for you to use...
I am not.
Did my devotion to sincerity confuse you?
Or did you take for granted,
An ending of this relationship?
Which one would you like to pick?

'Why this 'sudden' and inappropriate attitude?
I've done absolutely nothing to deserve this from you.
What should I have done?
I am not a mind reader.'

And I'm not a keeper of your time either!