Poem: Nice For What?
I’m nice.
Very nice.
I say yes
when others would say no
I’m like the nicest person
you’d ever meet
maybe not the nicest
but I’m very close.
I’m close to a lot of things
close to a lot of people
indirectly — I mean, not physically
I mean, they know I’m there for them
but rarely there with them
no one ever asked
what is it like being nice?
well to many, they don’t think you nice
they think you crude, cold, unnice
because they remember the times you said no
not the years you said yes
they’re used to using people
a nice person chooses to be nice
because they want to
not because you’re making them
or forcing them
but I’ll tell you
to be nice is to be human
well it feels that way
to be sympathetic
to have been through some tough shit
or have strong imagination
of what someone else might be going through
someone you think is going through some tough shit
I’ve cursed twice
did you catch it?
that is me trying to not be so nice
because I’m always nice
That is me trying to not be polite
I can be too polite
too mannered
very well trained
back then
growing up
it was an honor to your parents
when you show you’re well trained
but in my old age
it dries up panties
she wants bad boy
it takes awhile to flip the switch
from polite to bad boy mode
but why would I want to be bad
when I can be good?
my Sunday school teachings
finally paying off
President is nice,
but Clyde is exciting, very stimulating
Instead of Bonnie and Clyde
I’d rather be President
I’m nice
because I believe a small kind gesture
can be a big reason for someone else to endure
Life can be tough
Why be rude on top of it
People can be stressed
Why insult them on top of it
To love thy neighbor
Is to be nice to thy neighbor
As you love yourself
is to be nice also to yourself
I’m nice
because I think the world should be a better place
maybe naive is what I am
who knows, maybe you do
Maybe someday I might no longer be nice,
I don’t want someday to come
Maybe I’ll forever be nice, well, hopefully
It’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks
and heaven knows
I’ve been trying to leave my dog years behind.
