Michael really likes you,
Her parents insisted
When she was 20

I find him dull, she countered

You can’t be too particular, her father said
You have to think about what you have to offer.

Was it her extra pounds he meant?
Or her personality?
She wished she had asked

Miriam Stein is a social worker, writer, and the author of Make Your Voice Matter With Lawmakers: No Experience Necessary. See more at makeyourvoicematter.com. She lives in Massachusetts.