a line was forming

to give me a hard time

create a long list

of my failings

& all it was

a poor night’s sleep

thinking of

one more gone

needing nutrition

another coffee cup

this drift into that self-pity

attacking women bring

when they believe

they are right

& you are the fool

for not taking in

the poison

doled out easy

rich with venom

& heavy spite

so i smiled which

of course only

made matters worse