Noble
With his bow tie
and his bowler,
his etiquette videos
With his distinguished
accent and polished
vowels
It’s easier to dismiss
the claws.
The Classic
It’s battered and worn
and sits on the shelf
like a mountain
that can taunt you,
Remember how you
carried me around
for years on end, I was
your constant companion
until the day came
When you realized
you would never read
me through.
Hassle
It’s a beautiful hassle
this constant tapping
sound of devotion
I should love its lapping
gate and its tiny bells
I should worship and cherish
its presence
If I could just push past
the early boundary
of my own annoyance.
Detestable
They are the ones
we love to despise
from afar
Criticism from the table
next over
their loud raucous
behavior interrupting
our cheese appetizer.
Dialect
It’s the flower
of language that buds
with different
weights depending
on how you want to listen
What story of power
you listen to most
keenly, what you believe
about the drawl.