Our Clients/Ourselves II - Getting to Yes the Hard Way - Poetry

Our Clients/Ourselves II

Getting to Yes the Hard Way

(a kinda contracting)

by Gregory Gross, MSW

1:                     It’s not easy.

2:                     No.

1:                     Not easy at all.

2:                     Yes.

1:                     Yes?

2:                     Not “easy.”

1:                     Oh! No!

2:                     No.

1:                     It’s hard.

2:                     Yes.

1:                     Hard!

2:                     Yes, Yes!

1:                     Very hard.

2:                     Very…

1:                     Hard.

2:                     Very hard…

2:                     And not easy.

1:                     Yes.

2:                     Yes.

1:                     Not at all.

2:                     No… not.

1:                     Not.

2:                     Yes.

1:                     Yes! No??

2:                     Oh, yes.

1:                     Yes.

1:                     Yes, oh, no!

2:                     It’s hard, isn’t it.

1:                     Oh, yes.

2:                     Hard.

1:                     Hard, hard, hard!

2:                     And that ain’t easy.

1:                     Not easy.

2:                     Not easy at all.

1:                     No.

2:                     Yes.

1:                     Not at all.

2:                     No.

1:                     Yes.

2:                     Yes.

1 & 2:  Oh, Yes!

(Pause)

(Pause)

(Another pause, for Chrisakes!)

1:                     It’s not easy.

2:                     Nope!

1:                     Nope.

2:                     Nothin’ but nope.

1:                     Yes.

2:                     Oh, no.

2:                     Oh, yes.

1:                     No?    

1 & 2:  Yes, Yes, Yes!

Gregory Gross, MSW, is a professor of social work at The College of St. Rose in Albany, New York.