Lit eZine Vol 9 | p-6 | POETRY | What You Deserve

SHORT POEM

WHAT YOU DESERVE
Short Poem by Lindasusan Ulrich

A woman feeling angry and sad at the betrayal that life has brought — *AI-Generated Image*

I spoke to you of love, and you replied
With promises that soured into deceits.
While this betrayal you have still denied,
I stand here, shaking, hands full of receipts
For every falsehood you inflicted and
Each smile you fashioned to adorn your face.
I don’t know how I missed such ruthless plans
Except through doubt and too-forgiving grace.
To you, a game. To me, a shattered heart.
How can one coin hold two such different sides?
You move ahead. I drift in tattered parts,
A sea-stormed sailboat subject to the tides.
	My prayer: May the love I gave come back more bold,
	While what you deserve returns a thousandfold.

Connect with Lindasusan Ulrich on instagram

Lindasusan Ulrich (they/them) is a writer, musician, minister, and activist dedicated to radical inclusion, deep collaboration, and courageous kindness. Their writing has appeared in several publications, including Little Did I Know, Conversations with the Sacred, The Through Line, and Braver/Wiser, and they served on the editorial board of Skinner House Books. Their education includes degrees from MIT, UC Berkeley, and Starr King School for the Ministry. Lindasusan identifies as a nonbinary bisexual person of color, and while you may not be able to tell from this bio, they are also quite funny.