Scorn’s Unfairness

The recipient of jealousy speaks

Image of Cain and Abel by GDJ on Pixabay

I seem to have everything —
a good job, an attractive wife,
a high-end self-driving car,
but I’m not as well off as I appear,
and I’ve done nothing wrong
for you to resent what I have.

I deserve to live in comfort
after working hard all my life.
Isn’t that the American way,
to strive for success?
I can’t help if the world is unequal,
while I was born with privilege.

But please, don’t misinterpret me.
I am not who you think I am —
there are things I envy in you,
like the color of your wavy hair,
the long strides you take,
and your devoted family
who puts you on a pedestal.

If it makes you feel better,
I’ll sell my Colonial in the country
and live in a row home in the city.
I’ll drive a Toyota instead of a Bentley,
trade in my trophy wife for the homely type,
if it means reducing your ire,
and the bitterness you hold.

© 2022 Mark Tulin

Many thanks go to Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她)for her writing prompt on Jealousy.

Do Not Be Jealous, For You Don’t Know What They’ve Been Through

Here’s another poem by Mark Tulin:

My Muse is a Goddess