They’re plus and minus 70 years old.
He made a silly error. She was miffed.
He could have asked. He knows she would have told

him gently how (she has a teaching gift).
But he was insecure, and careless too.
The error cost her time – she had to shift

direction for correction (nothing new),
and thought he might at least apologize.
But just as she was simmering to stew,

she also started yoga. Her surprise
was how without a paragraph she caught
an insight – what a wasteful exercise –

requesting an apology is fraught
with empty words, resentment, falsity.
Addressing stress, she entertained the thought

that rather than chastise, her mind could be
directed to what might be self-controlled,
and trim her expectation, honestly.