THE TABLE

How long have you stared and wondered
Hungered and stood awkwardly by,

And dismissed what’s been right in front of you?
You’ve pushed aside plate after nourishing plate
Glass after affirming glass
Rejected your own chairs, booths, and benches
You want to sit at that table--
Over there

You covet the service
You admire the place settings
You think the way they dine is the finest
What they dish out is the sweetest
Has it occurred to you that they are not unique?
Everything they have is available to you, too
What they enjoy does not always satisfy them!
Why, then, does it so intrigue you?

Making room for you is bothersome; tedious
They can’t even hide their disdain
You will never be genuinely welcome
That extra chair?
It was never meant to be there
It only allows you to get so close
Your discomfort is showing
Do they care?

Crumbs once a year will not satisfy
Their feast was not prepared with you in mind
You'll always leave hungry
They'll never be kind
Do you understand now?
Yes?
It's about time!

Get up
Excuse yourself, of course
No need to be rude
That table was not set for you
Deep down, you’ve always known
Your seat was just for show
But it was worth a try
And now you know
The world is full of tables
Go set your own.
 

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