What Kinda No
By John Herlihy

“Sing, my friend, oh sing for us,”
They chanted merrily hiding their dread.
I murmured a quiet “no”, nothing more,
Accompanied by a shake of the head.
The soft word hung briefly in the air,
Leaving In its wake a feeling of despair.
“What kinda ’no' is that, my friend?
Your answer turns us up on end.
A ‘yes’ that once was, but is no more?
Or a final ‘no’ whose wave breaks on the shore?”

“Read to us, oh please read to us,”
My sisters shouted at my bedroom door.
I murmured an emphatic “no”, nothing more,
Shaking off a range of mixed feelings instead.
The rough word flew thru the air like a knife,
Like cutting in two a possibility in life.
“What kinda ‘no’ is that, my brother?
Your answer has a feeling like no other.
A ‘yes’ that perhaps was, and now will not be?
Or a ‘no’ that never was, but now must be?”

“Write for us,” they sang, “write a poem,”
They just sat there, wishing to be spoon-fed.
I murmured a fearful “no,” nothing more,
Hoping to avoid the simple request instead.
The callous word dripped like icicles in winter
And felt like the scratch of a sharp splinter.
“What kinda ‘no’ is that, my friend?
Your answer sounds ominous like the end.
A “yes” that once was and now cannot be?
Or a “no” that never was and never will be?”

“Change the grades, Prof, change our grades!”
As if I had grades hidden quietly in my pocket,
Waiting patiently to be hidden in their locket.
I uttered a deafening NO, nothing more,
And glared accusingly with my eyes instead.
“What kinds ‘no’ is that, my professor
We look upon your as our only confessor.”
“No means no and forevermore no,” I said.
You would think the word had no meaning to bestow;
They want unearned grades to make their hearts glow.

Yes has a beauty that everyone knows;
No has a finality that no one can oppose.
Sometimes we say yes when we mean no;
Sometimes we say no when we mean yes.
We often think of yes and no as either or,
When in fact their meaning is so much more.
The burden of inquiry lies with the questioner;
The truth of the reply lies with the answerer.
“What kinda ‘no’ is that,” you boldly ask.
A ‘no’ that doesn’t want to be taken to task.