I was tired
of the backhanded remark
and the subtle inflection
floating behind yet another
decorative screen—
And I remembered
a woman from Turkey I’d met
at a conference long ago,
how she turned to speak
to someone giving her
a similar issue—
I didn’t hear
their full exchange,
saw only their gestures.
Later she said,
walking away:
You can tell
by the tightening
in the gut that’s trying
so hard to keep in its poison.
In response to Via Negativa: Prophet without honor.