I Was Only Trying

I was only trying to be sensitive, my Mother always said

be mindful of others, offending

but she was good at it, she didn’t hold back

lived a life she did and if others

well, if others couldn’t cope, keep up,

Not her concern.

I was only trying to be helpful, thinking you’d need some help

wasn’t to know you didn’t want any, even though you said

you weren’t lying, you just were, just needing,

needing is not a mortal sin any more than

being conservative, if you can’t help it,

you can’t help it.

I was only trying to be creative, showing you what I had

you don’t have to like it, you don’t have to get it

you can like it without getting it, you can get it without liking it,

there is no scale, no measure and if you don’t want to read,

or look, or listen.

I was only trying to be useful, although who for

who knows, I don’t but I was told,

that to be so, is to be like him, or her, or you

so I tried, for a time, didn’t work,

Can’t help it.

I was only trying to be truthful,

telling you what you wanted to hear, is that what truth is,

yours maybe, not mine, so that we can all get along,

get by, read the news, look away, look back,

for the weather, in the sky, in my eyes, the truth

look hard, what you see, it’s a question

For now, for later.

I was only trying to be careful,

told to look, not bend the wrong way, offend the powers,

that be, crossing the street, or crossing your heart,

break it, being careful does that, or something else,

compels you for a moment,

The light is green, you can walk.