Not To Brag

“Be the rainbow in someone else’s cloud.”

Maya Angelou

Not to brag, but...oh hell

Why should I not?

Sometimes my pride swells

When it’s me who got

Things turned around for

Those who are stuck deep

Depressed to the core,

Who call me and weep.

They call for my talent

To make them feel good,

Even feel valiant,

Lift up their mood.

And to be truthful

It’s not something planned

This tool so useful

Seems always on hand

They call when in pain,

Longing for my touch

That helps stop the rain,

Or when they feel crushed.

With an unnamed faith

In my snug power

To brighten their face

Have them laughing

Within an hour.

Naida Lavon

3/22/2026

Prompt: Exercise in a book called Ordinary Genious, by Kim Addonizio

Take a line from someone else and change on word.

I chose “that hurt when you touch them” from Margaret Atwood’s “Oh”

Then I read a quote by Maya Angelou that said “Be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud”