Call to Repentance

by Dianne Dibb Forbis

Slight pressure “no”

had stirred my know.

But was it really really no?

Perhaps I need

to think it out,

to listen for a louder shout.

There are others

doing such.

And anyway

an if and but

might very well apply

to me,

because,

because,

well, I am me.

And circumstances

are so twined,

and maybe I have been assigned

a very special

set of rules

that—

What!

A sound?

A flashing light?

Some further word on what is right?

Hmmm …

Neon “NO” and clanging bell.

Well, sometimes

words can get misspelled.

I’d really better

think this out.

There’s so much room

for so much doubt.