Please don’t ingratiate yourself …
your adulation leaves me bored
the servility of your ways
leave me cold!

Instead,
earn your self-respect
by the sweat of your brow.
Now,
straighten that back,
unbend that knee,
button your lip,
don’t swagger that hip,
and learn to look
people
straight in the eye
and swear off
sycophancy
until the
day you die!