an audio poem
like Nas’ “It Ain’t Hard To Tell“,
when we spot each other
in a room full of our
workmates, we fight to get
to that hug we’ve been
missing–that embrace that
saddles us with contentment.
we fight for the purity of touch.
I know you. you know me.
we broke down walls to be
able to say, “She’s whole
without being halved.”
we have the drop on
one another but we’ll never
use it.
I am counting down the days
until I see you again.
until I get to hear that
Flint, Michigan accent with a sprinkle
of the Deep South swirling
on your tongue.
maybe it’ll be the right time
to say, “Yes” to what we’ve
had to say “No” to for
so long.
or maybe I’m just living
through my fantasies
again–envisioning you as the
key to my heart’s happiness.
or maybe, we’re treading
lightly because the heavy waves
are getting heavier and we
need these damn jobs.
we’ve been cautious for years.
and there’s no cat and mouse
with us–we’re simply plagued
by curiosity and frozen from
impending corporate damage.
how long will we be able to
hold up our end of the
bargain before we have to
surrender?
are we willing to battle
in the wars of political correctness for the honor
of true love?
am I?
*Background music: It Ain’t Hard Tell instrumental, produced by The Large Professor
I always love hearing your voice. It adds power to every poem.
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Thank you so very much, Peggy. 🙏🏾💙
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Oh, I feel this one. Mine came with a Scottish accent.
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🙏🏾💙
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What a bittersweet situation, Tre.
This part is hard-hitting:
“or maybe, we’re treading lightly
because the heavy waves
are getting heavier and we
need these damn jobs.”
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Yes! That’s the part I had the most trouble with; I edited it several times before landing on this version. Thank you!
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You’re most welcome, Tre!
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Awesome trE! Love everything about this poem and your recitation is like the icing on top of the cake my friend. Great ruminations, especially when we view ourselves from an angle many others do not see in our daily encounters with our individual jobs. We continue to persevere, even as we have to readjust to the road we are on. 🥰🙏🏼💖
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Amen. And thank you for reading and listening, too. 🙏🏾💙
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Oh my dear friend, you are more than welcome. I enjoyed tuning in for sure! 😍🎧😊
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It is so lovely to hear your voice and to hear your poem. Workplace crushes are complicated but you made something extraordinary of it. May you & your readers have a wonderful week 🤗
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Thank you kindly. I wish the same for you. Peace.
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♥️
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I love this, the spikiness, the daring of it and that OUTSTANDING stanza about that Michigan Accent; this poem rocks !!!
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Thank you kindly!
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Love this trE! 😊
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Thank you kindly! 🙏🏾💙
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Sure thing! ❤️
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OHHHH girl this was brilliant! You are brilliant Tre!
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Hey, there! Thank you, lady! I appreciate you reading this one and listening, too. 🙏🏾💙
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You’re welcome!
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Whew chile
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😭😩🤣
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Bravo, trE! Fantastic writing and reading. 👏🏻
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I appreciate you, Michele. Thank you kindly!
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And I you! 🌸
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What a hard place to be in! You’ve expressed it so beautifully here and I’m going to keep hoping you get your happily ever after.
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Perhaps, one day. 🙏🏾💙 Thank you, Bridgette.
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Beautifully read and expressed trE.
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Thank you kindly, Peter!
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Love this!
I know this tricky situation all too well. Lol.
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Ha! I’m so glad I’m not alone. But I also hate that you understand.
I am, however, grateful for the closeness we have. It’s the strangest thing to know and take heed of when you’ve broken down a person’s walls and they bloom and blossom without hindrance in your presence.
There is a connection there that I respect more than anything.
She is still fine as hell, though, and intelligent and ambitious and passionate and honest, and it makes it DAMN hard to restrain oneself. 😆🤣😂
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Ha ha ha, yes! Restraint is key!
The purity of the trust and mutual respect and admiration within the friendship is the real beauty of the relationship. Where it goes from there…? Only time will tell.
Either way, it’ll be great.
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🙏🏾💙 Amen. Thank you for reading and connecting.
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Powerful. Is this from personal experience?
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Yes, unfortunately, it is. I’ve been writing about this woman (my crush) for three years now. I’m still afraid to “shoot my shot”. Every time I feel as though I will, something happens to make me pump the brakes. Honestly, I don’t think I have a chance in hell, but we’ve grown quite close, and I’ll take the friendship over anything else, really.
Two more audio poems linked to her . . .
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Thanks for the link. Friendship is worth a lot. Often more than we realise.
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True. Very true, indeed. 🙏🏾💙
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