No matter the social setting
at the office water cooler
around the kitchen table
at Aunt Flo’s
your choice of hobby
where a group will gather
there’s one in every crowd

Never learned the meaning
of live and let live
the know-it-all in ambush
quickly unmasked
by that same old
annoying behavior
there’s one in every crowd

Slave over something
bringing you joy
they nit-pick it apart
snide remarks
poorly camouflaged
as cleverness
yet ask how they’d
do it differently
turn and walk away
there’s one in every crowd

Never learned to spell
past j-e-r-k
and heaven forbid
you should confront them
see how quickly
they spin things around
there’s one in every crowd

© 1998

750 hits as of December 2023

09/28/2017

Posted on 09/28/2017
Copyright © 2025 Chris Sorrenti