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I Never Do Insist
– tho I so bid –
I badger
I pressure,
I brow beat
I pester,
To evoke lament
For cause gone amiss,
If need be torment
But I never do insist…
I dismiss
I displace,
I’m remiss
To disgrace,
And erase
To save face,
When I’m out of place
But I never do insist…
I coerce
I compel,
I harass
I cajole,
And kick ass
If they sass,
Save always with class
But I never do insist…
I dare say
I don’t grieve,
When invited
Tho peeved,
I do state
I’ve a knack,
If there’s call
To achieve,
Any way
There’s a need,
Of obtuse to be rid
It’s no feat I so bid,
But I never do insist!
© Jean-Jacques Fournier
Poetry on a Canapé 
Interesting paradox, to coerce but not insist. Clever. We’re all a compilation of dichotomies. Thank you.
Tongue in cheek says I, wondering how closely I fit to said compilation, I can but totally agree with your compilation of dichotomy, we so-called humans seem to be. You are the better judge to suggest this, as a person of your chosen career, of care giver to humans and animal welfare protector. Thank you dear Paulette for your observation…
Oh Jean-Jacques – the first thought that popped into my mind was by Robbie Burns. Your poem mirrored these words: “O would some power the giftie gie us to see ourselves as others see us. (O would some power the gift to give us to see ourselves as others see us.)”. “I never do insist tho I so bid – Your poem sheds a gentle light on who we are. I was smiling throughout because I have said those words in some form over the course of my life.
And here I was, thinking I’d created something original. Just shows to go you, I’ve still a lot to learn, but kidding aside I was basically having fun with being (to steal a word from Paulette) dichotomous in this poem ‘I never do insist’ and another called ‘Solitude’ I will publish in a couple of days as in waiting its turn. But in spite of initial intentions, the fun turned into something half serous the ‘insist’ poem, and completely serious for the ‘solitude’ poem. There are times when one must yield to where the symbolic pen will lead us..Thank you Rebecca!
I do enjoy your symbolic pen. So many adventures come with the ink on paper…
Your poem strikes a chord for those of us who err on the side of passive aggression, which I think we all do, from time to time.
Passive aggression… now that is something revealing dear Liz, and the something I’m referring to, is the qualifier, as in ” which I think we all do. also very interesting, that you should consider this poem as passive aggression, as such. Personally, aside from my tongue in cheek motivation that originally gave this work life, though amusing, and somewhat as clownishly blowhard, thus so as an uncle of mine when I was quite young. You know the kind of know it all, that always knows better than anyone on all and any subject. A kind of insecurity, not uncommon, this sad type of bravado…
Hey that’s the fun and pleasure of poetry, when the reactions vary in different directions. Thanks again, Liz.