For now let me say
Without hope or agenda
I thought you’d be back in the writing room

Copy chief, sir

With all due respect
We both know I can run the empire from this desktop
It’s not direction that I need
But a bit of banter wouldn’t punish the hours in between projects

I’ll make my own assignments
Be brutal about the deadlines
What’s missing is all the back-and-forth
Collaboration, if you will

When I got hired, I knew life was going forward
My elevator may well have been catapulting at top speed
We pinky-promised our handshake and the business was in operation
Partners in publishing

The launch took off

Then you hit “Resolved” where my name used to live

But I’m not a book, sir
They won’t release me to Walden or Super Crown
I’m not a best seller
Barely on the shelves
I was hoping we could talk through my contract

Copy chief, sir

Sir?