List Of Things You Want Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

You want to be treated fairly.
You want to be treated right.
You want to be treated with respect.
And your dignity protected day and night.

What makes your needs any different than mine?
And why should I treat you more thoughtfully,
Than you have treated me?
And you taught me the many faces,
Of mental and physical abuse.
With declarations to make me feel,
Unqualified to be near a gutter.

And you want what?
From me?
To prove to you I can be humane?
I know I did not hear you say that?
And you called me a heathen too?
Heathens do not give the shirts off their backs.

You want to be treated fairly.
You want to be treated right.
You want to be treated with respect.
And your dignity protected day and night.

And...
May I add,
An all expense paid trip to Fantasy Island.
Hosted by the best psychiatrist available.
With a need to stay.
Put that on your list of things you want.
To have us both hope that happens.
And not soon enough.