sometimes wanting solace isn’t selfish
for sometimes being selfish isn’t sinning
and sometimes sinning is sweeter than smiling
with eyes still smarting from the salty taste of unshed tears

so if solace is sweeter than socializing
and selfish sinners aren’t always condemned
then saying sorry for overstimulated shrieking when silence has been strongly suggested
simply suppresses an instinctive sharing of sensation
and negates any significance that “sorry” has managed to sustain

simple “sorrys” don’t settle stomachs stuffed with stoney shame
and so will not suffice
until some not-so-subtle shifts in civility
are steadily established and secured

because saying sorry doesn’t solve jack shit