deepundergroundpoetry.com
Call Him Mister
Miss miz or misses
Mr T
just call me Wendy
that's fine with me
it's just a name
don't play a game
we're not living
in 1960
Weren't you at the conference that day
I hear myself say
to the Viking from central casting
he was easy to spot
it didn't take a lot
but did he remember me?
no way
I'm Wendy I stated
(a name I've never hated)
to the bearded man with hair of red
and when our hands shook
he gave me a look
I'm Mister Erikson he said
When I'm in front of a class
I'm not an ass
I'll address a colleague the correct way
but it's 2025
is there really anyone alive
who needs to pretend it's a bygone day?
So Mister it was at the district meeting
though frankly I loathed the arrogant greeting
I'm fine being Ms.with the children in school
but call me that casually,
I'll think you're a fool
Mr T
just call me Wendy
that's fine with me
it's just a name
don't play a game
we're not living
in 1960
Weren't you at the conference that day
I hear myself say
to the Viking from central casting
he was easy to spot
it didn't take a lot
but did he remember me?
no way
I'm Wendy I stated
(a name I've never hated)
to the bearded man with hair of red
and when our hands shook
he gave me a look
I'm Mister Erikson he said
When I'm in front of a class
I'm not an ass
I'll address a colleague the correct way
but it's 2025
is there really anyone alive
who needs to pretend it's a bygone day?
So Mister it was at the district meeting
though frankly I loathed the arrogant greeting
I'm fine being Ms.with the children in school
but call me that casually,
I'll think you're a fool
Published 25th Jan 2025
Author's Note
I experienced culture shock when I started teaching in Arizona. Almost all teachers and admin call each other Mrs. and Mr., even outside of school hours. I think it's stilted and weird and I loathe it.
All writing remains the property of the author. Don't use it for any purpose without their permission.
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26th Jan 2025 00:13am
28th Jan 2025 00:59am
26th Jan 2025 2:34am
That's a peculiar holdover from academic yesteryear, and I'm of two minds about it.
I'm totally simpatico with your author's note about the topic, but I also remember my dad, a community college English professor, referring to his fellow faculty members as "colleagues", and thinking that was a million times better than..."co-workers".
But yes, respect ought to be possible in an informal way as well.
I'm totally simpatico with your author's note about the topic, but I also remember my dad, a community college English professor, referring to his fellow faculty members as "colleagues", and thinking that was a million times better than..."co-workers".
But yes, respect ought to be possible in an informal way as well.
28th Jan 2025 00:58am
I agree with your father about colleague, especially in an academic setting.
What weird is I feel disrespected when addressed formally. I feel like they are saying they don't consider me a friend. Even if they're not, still...
What weird is I feel disrespected when addressed formally. I feel like they are saying they don't consider me a friend. Even if they're not, still...
Dear Ms. Pinkdreams 🤭,
This poem really got me to thinking. I think in the end, I’m still conflicted about it. There’s an elegance and refined mystery to addressing someone with the Mr. Mrs. Ms. And then there’s a casualness and comfort by addressing someone by their Christian name. Like I’ve made the cut into the inner circle. While I’ll probably never come to a right conclusion on this topic what I did enjoy was your insight and cleverly poetic way of shedding light on the subject. From now on I’ll only ever refer to your colleague as Mr. Red Head, and not Mr. Erickson. H🌷
This poem really got me to thinking. I think in the end, I’m still conflicted about it. There’s an elegance and refined mystery to addressing someone with the Mr. Mrs. Ms. And then there’s a casualness and comfort by addressing someone by their Christian name. Like I’ve made the cut into the inner circle. While I’ll probably never come to a right conclusion on this topic what I did enjoy was your insight and cleverly poetic way of shedding light on the subject. From now on I’ll only ever refer to your colleague as Mr. Red Head, and not Mr. Erickson. H🌷
28th Jan 2025 1:00am
Your inner circle comment is exactly what I was getting at. When addressed by Ms. G____, I feel like they are saying "I just work with you. I don't particularly like you."
Thanks for that insight.
Thanks for that insight.
27th Jan 2025 9:13pm
That's a goddamn time warp. 1960 it is. You would hear this kind of conversation on shows like..Leave it to beaver, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, The Andy Griffith Show etc...Great poem. I enjoyed this.
28th Jan 2025 1:02am
Exactly! That's what it reminds me of. Or the Brady Bunch where the maid had to call her employer Mrs. Brady, but "Mrs. Brady" just called her Alice. It implied a power differential. I say skip all the nonsense and just call someone by their first name.
