Humble

I handed her a book of mine.
You might not like them (the poems).
She said, "You're just shy."
No, I'm not, I said,
I'm humble. (Looking down.)
But she wanted to be right.
She walked away with my book
Without looking back,
"You're shy."
And I pictured her trying to read some of the poems
And thinking,
She'll frown, she'll skip those,
The very ones she should read.
Should?
Am I really saying that there are poems
That people should read?
Here, let me write you a prescription.
Read these two in the morning
Two hours before eating
And this one before bed
And this one if you can't sleep.
Oh, I'm not shy.
Just humble.
Humble as a retired brain surgeon.