# That Was Not A Question

Author: ShingetsuMoon
Tags: Poem, Poetry

#3 of National Poetry Writing Month

Another poem written for National Poetry Month.

* * *

NO.

That was not a question, but I bet  
one came to mind for many of you.  
What was that about?  
What was that for?  
Where is this going?

For some of you I'm sure a question is  
the first thing that came to mind so let  
me ask you this...when did no become  
a question?

When did it cease to be a statement  
and instead become an excuse?  
When did it become the beginning of  
a conversation instead of the end?

When did we transform it into an  
opening for interrogation instead of   
accepting it as a way for a person  
to assert their right of refusal?

When did we stop listening to  
what our friends had to say?

When a person says no that  
should be the end not the  
beginning. Not an opening.  
Not an excuse to pressure them  
to come up with words until  
a reason that you view as acceptable  
spills forth from their lips.

There is a difference between asking  
and forcing and when you continually  
force someone to try and do something  
after they have already told you no  
then you have lost all rights to their  
politeness.

If you have ignored their reasons and  
pushed aside their feelings again and  
again and again in order to get them  
to do something they are not comfortable  
with then they do not have to be nice.

They do not have to be polite.  
They do not have to be kind.  
They do not have to soften their words  
for you after you have stabbed them with  
yours.

No is not a question.  
It is a statement.  
It is a declaration.  
It is a shout.

 It is a scream from the person  
who can only manage to squeak out  
a reluctant, "maybe next time."

"No, I'm not interested" does not mean  
"I just want you to try harder."

"No I don't feel like going" does not  
mean "keep trying, it's not like I have  
anything better to do."

You do not get to question a person  
without their consent and then lash out  
when they snap back and refuse to give their  
answers to you.

They told you no.  
They told you to stop.  
They told you they weren't comfortable.  
They told you they were in pain.  
They told you they weren't interested.  
They told you they didn't want to.

Don't blame them because you weren't  
listening hard enough. Don't blame them  
for getting angry when you were the one who  
refused to accept their reasons. Don't put  
them down because of your failure to realize  
that other people have feelings and opinions too  
and sometimes they just aren't the same as yours.

Do not blame the world around you because  
of your inability to accept a refusal.

No is a statement not a question and you  
don't get to ask them for an answer if they  
are not willing to volunteer it.

Source: https://sofurry.com/s/JewkbqJe
Part of the series National Poetry Writing Month
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