Jealous Old Man

A Poem

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

your official statement
on this issue
your seething
gas-lighting
comedy act
obscene and vile
as if your actual
chastisement
gains anything
you are not her teacher
her grandfather
her anything

try humility on for size
say the words
well done!
congratulations!
genius!
the youth will save us!
I want to strive to be you when I grow up!
you are a role model for generations to come!
what an inspiration!
listen to the children!

yet she is another flick of ash
in your way
discarded and discounted
disqualified by you
a bug on the windshield
a little girl on a swing set

she’s got her eye on you
your criticism crying and complaining
for a half a second
before casting you into the ocean
some debris to steer around
for better things to do with her time

Samantha Lazar 2019