Selective
There are just enough people who know what is what, for me not to bother with those who do not.
Kay Sage
SourceLicence:Public domain (US, unrenewed)
There are just enough people who know what is what, for me not to bother with those who do not.
In just a few lines, the speaker explains how she decides who deserves her attention. Her reasoning is simple: there are enough people out there who really understand things, so she doesn't need to waste energy on the ones who don't. The title, "Selective," sums up the attitude. She isn't angry or bitter about those people. She just doesn't bother with them.
The tone is cool, dry, and a little amused. There's a hint of snobbery in the idea of dividing people into those who "know what is what" and those who don't, and the poem seems aware of that, delivering the judgment in such an offhand way that it almost sounds like a shrug. The short, plain lines add to this feeling of calm confidence. What comes through is a woman who has settled the question for herself: life is too short to explain things to people who won't get them, and she has already found enough of the right company.