I post poems I write on Facebook. They are up for a few days, then I delete them. Originally, I had thought to try and develop a market for them, but the effort doesn't seem to have born fruit.
However, a few people seem to like them and writing is a hobby of mine.
I am aware that people make assumptions based on what I write, so often I will add a disclaimer at the bottom for clarity sake. For instance, if a poem I post is particularly dark, I may say that it was just developed from an idea that I fleshed out and not due to any circumstances I am going through at the moment.
I don't need people concerned for my state of mental or spiritual health unnecessarily.
A recent poem I posted was titled "Candy" and it basically talked about a girl who used to be more of a friend, but isn't any more and the narrator ends it with calling her "poison Candy." Just a typical jilted lover kind of piece. I am happily married, so it doesn't reflect anything of my life.
I had a Facebook friend named Candi and I placed a disclaimer at the bottom stating specifically that the poem was in no way referring to her. That I was just playing around with an idea.
Her husband messaged to tell me that she was really upset by the poem.
I promptly deleted it and apologized.
He said he appreciated it.
Later, I unfriended him and her. They were people I knew a long time ago and the chances of seeing them again are slim to none. We just don't run in intersecting circles.
But I found myself irritated by the whole thing. It made me wonder about the whole getting offended thing and whether there's any real responsibility by the 'offender' who takes great pains to try and make people understand that they aren't the target. That the target is, in fact, fictional.
The mindset of living as one offended can really stifle expression. And what right do these people have to wreak that kind of oppression?
Welcome to today.
