What Am I Good At? Poem by Charlotte Ballard

A question given as
An assignment -
In a poetry instruction book,
What am I good at? Write
A poem about that.

I am good at nothing -
Except this.
This writing thing.
I cannot cook delicious meals
Or trim a sailor suit for a child.
No boss has ever made me
Employee of the month,
Nor have I known the joys
Of promotion.

No instrument sings under nimble fingers.
No yard blooms in blues and golds.
I never have been given an award
(except for this)
That told me how excellent I was,
How totally brilliant.
Teachers don’t hold me up as example.
Parents don’t point me out to their children
As I walk past.

The newspaper doesn’t know my name.
Or print my image in dark news print.
There are no trophies, no brass engraved plate
No Days in My Honor - no keys to the city.
Even the easiest jobs as clerk, hamburger maker
Chicken frier, cashier
Never went beyond that.

So what am I good at?
This, only this.