I promise you that it is not
and that you have said such things
yourself many times before.
And I do not doubt
that no one ever passed
your spiteful words along.

Yet you found it your place to tell
of my thoughtless, frustrated
outbursts, and so my job was
stripped from me. That was three
years ago, and I was angry then.

But had you not said a word, I might
be there: with blisters still on my dry,
chapped hands; my ears still
ringing with the whines of impatient children;
my forearms still aching from repeated motion;
the scent and stain of melted ice cream
still persistent in my clothes and hair.

I was angry then; I thank you now.