Divergent

It wasn’t all right

you didn’t object–

I needed your okay,

it wasn’t enough

that you never left,

I needed you to stay.

It wasn’t a balm

when you forgave

–embracing arms are different,

it wasn’t support

to hear what I said,

I needed you to listen.

It wasn’t succor

to offer advice,

when empathy would heal,

It wasn’t all right

that you didn’t flinch,

I needed you to feel.

It wasn’t enough

acknowledging wiles,

I needed admiration,

it wasn’t okay

to punish me for

–nurturing my vocation.

It wasn’t the goal

to run on my own

I wanted feet for pace,

it wasn’t okay

to “give’ me my room,

& then resent that space.

©Karen Robiscoe

daily prompt: conflict