A swirl of emotions cloud up inside
Happiness, ecstasy, elation, and pride
When he delivers a compliment
Bursting with praise
Dashing coherency into a haze

I fumble and trip over my tongue
Words forming, dissolving, ending up hung
So close to escaping
A perfect reply
Instantly vanish when I look in his eyes

A stuttering wreck of noises slip out
Burning embarrassment as I desperately flout
For adequate words
A restoring remark
My dignity slipping away in the dark

If I could but write a letter of thanks
It’d appear much more elegant, eloquent, frank
For I am a poet
A writer that uses
Written words to unleash my feelings and muses