The feelings were hard, no matter what you said.
Maybe not on your side, but they were on mine.
What on earth were you thinking? Talc?
Some powder you could kick around with your toe?
Something even softer, like your tone of voice?
Think harder.
Think of coal, how it’s compressed
into this single diamond,
one so perfect in its natural occurrence,
no jeweler, no matter how much the artist,
could improve on it.
No more facets needed; all the cutting had been done.
Imagine it untouched, lying in darkness for eternity,
a super-diamond, even, pulverizing all other diamonds.
Uh uh.
No hard feelings, as a suggestion coming from you,
just didn’t cut it.
Lanning Lee 