Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The Problem Was Believing Me
No garlic butter on the potatoes.
No rosemary.
No pepper ground from mountain stones
Performed tableside for me.
No drizzle from a copper spoon.
No flourish at the end.
No chef arriving at my table
To defend what he intends.
But it lands in front of me
Decorated leaf by leaf.
Another zigzag of reduction
Across a plate I’d asked stay plain.
Another plate that says:
“We heard your words.
We just preferred our own beliefs.”
You heard me say it.
You heard it clear.
So why’s it feel
Like nobody can hear?
I SAID BLAND!
I SAID PLAIN!
WHY’S EVERY CHOICE I MAKE SOMETHING YOU NEED TO CHANGE?
I SAID STOP!
LET IT STAND!
WHY’S EVERY CHEF AT WAR WITH THE MAN WHO WANTS IT BLAND?
I SAID QUIET!
I SAID TRUE!
WHY’S EVERYBODY TRYING TO IMPROVE MY POINT OF VIEW?
YOU CALL IT EMPTY!
I CALL IT MINE!
WHEN DID DIFFERENT BECOME A THING WE HAD TO REDEFINE?
People ask me why I’m eating
At the finest place in town
If all I want’s a baked potato
With the volume turned back down.
I tell them:
Some folks buy expensive sedans
That start each morning without drama.
Nobody says:
“For that kind of money
You should’ve bought a sports car.”
Some people buy designer t-shirts
Plain as winter sky.
Some paintings sell for millions
Just because a single colour caught somebody’s eye.
The world has room for quiet things.
The world allows restraint.
Until restraint arrives upon a plate.
Everybody loves expression.
Everybody loves the strange.
Everybody says be who you are.
Until you are something they would change.
I SAID BLAND!
I SAID PLAIN!
WHY’S EVERY CHOICE I MAKE SOMETHING YOU NEED TO CHANGE?
I SAID STOP!
LET IT STAND!
WHY’S EVERY CHEF AT WAR WITH THE MAN WHO WANTS IT BLAND?
I SAID QUIET!
I SAID TRUE!
WHY’S EVERYBODY TRYING TO IMPROVE MY POINT OF VIEW?
YOU CALL IT EMPTY!
I CALL IT MINE!
WHEN DID DIFFERENT BECOME A THING WE HAD TO REDEFINE?
Maybe that’s the problem now.
Nobody listens to requests.
They listen for mistakes.
Everybody talks of freedom
Until somebody chooses differently.
Everybody talks of choices
Until the choice feels unfamiliar.
Everybody says:
“Tell us what you want.”
Everybody says:
“Be yourself.”
But somewhere between the asking
And the moment of reply,
The problem wasn’t hearing me.
The problem was believing me.
You heard my order perfectly.
You just trusted yours more than me.
YOU LET THE WHITE SHIRT STAY WHITE!
YOU LET THE FAMILY SEDAN STAY SLOW!
YOU LET THE BLUE PAINTING STAY BLUE!
SO WHY…
CAN’T…
MY…
POTATOES…
STAY…
POTATOES?!
I DIDN’T ASK FOR THE JOURNEY!
I ASKED FOR THE POTATOES!
I DIDN’T ASK FOR DISCOVERY!
I ASKED FOR THEM TWICE!
I SAID BLAND!
I SAID PLAIN!
NOT EVERY SKY REQUIRES FIREWORKS IN THE RAIN!
I SAID QUIET!
LET IT BE!
NOT EVERY DIFFERENCE IS A DEFICIENCY!
YOU CHASE THE FLAVOUR!
I’LL CHASE THE TRUTH!
NOT EVERY DIFFERENCE
NEEDS IMPROVEMENT!
YOU HEARD MY ORDER PERFECTLY!
THE PROBLEM WASN’T HEARING ME!
THE PROBLEM…
WAS BELIEVING ME!
The Problem Was Believing Me
No garlic butter on the potatoes.
No rosemary.
No pepper ground from mountain stones
Performed tableside for me.
No drizzle from a copper spoon.
No flourish at the end.
No chef arriving at my table
To defend what he intends.
But it lands in front of me
Decorated leaf by leaf.
Another zigzag of reduction
Across a plate I’d asked stay plain.
Another plate that says:
“We heard your words.
We just preferred our own beliefs.”
You heard me say it.
You heard it clear.
So why’s it feel
Like nobody can hear?
I SAID BLAND!
I SAID PLAIN!
WHY’S EVERY CHOICE I MAKE SOMETHING YOU NEED TO CHANGE?
I SAID STOP!
LET IT STAND!
WHY’S EVERY CHEF AT WAR WITH THE MAN WHO WANTS IT BLAND?
I SAID QUIET!
I SAID TRUE!
WHY’S EVERYBODY TRYING TO IMPROVE MY POINT OF VIEW?
YOU CALL IT EMPTY!
I CALL IT MINE!
WHEN DID DIFFERENT BECOME A THING WE HAD TO REDEFINE?
People ask me why I’m eating
At the finest place in town
If all I want’s a baked potato
With the volume turned back down.
I tell them:
Some folks buy expensive sedans
That start each morning without drama.
Nobody says:
“For that kind of money
You should’ve bought a sports car.”
Some people buy designer t-shirts
Plain as winter sky.
Some paintings sell for millions
Just because a single colour caught somebody’s eye.
The world has room for quiet things.
The world allows restraint.
Until restraint arrives upon a plate.
Everybody loves expression.
Everybody loves the strange.
Everybody says be who you are.
Until you are something they would change.
I SAID BLAND!
I SAID PLAIN!
WHY’S EVERY CHOICE I MAKE SOMETHING YOU NEED TO CHANGE?
I SAID STOP!
LET IT STAND!
WHY’S EVERY CHEF AT WAR WITH THE MAN WHO WANTS IT BLAND?
I SAID QUIET!
I SAID TRUE!
WHY’S EVERYBODY TRYING TO IMPROVE MY POINT OF VIEW?
YOU CALL IT EMPTY!
I CALL IT MINE!
WHEN DID DIFFERENT BECOME A THING WE HAD TO REDEFINE?
Maybe that’s the problem now.
Nobody listens to requests.
They listen for mistakes.
Everybody talks of freedom
Until somebody chooses differently.
Everybody talks of choices
Until the choice feels unfamiliar.
Everybody says:
“Tell us what you want.”
Everybody says:
“Be yourself.”
But somewhere between the asking
And the moment of reply,
The problem wasn’t hearing me.
The problem was believing me.
You heard my order perfectly.
You just trusted yours more than me.
YOU LET THE WHITE SHIRT STAY WHITE!
YOU LET THE FAMILY SEDAN STAY SLOW!
YOU LET THE BLUE PAINTING STAY BLUE!
SO WHY…
CAN’T…
MY…
POTATOES…
STAY…
POTATOES?!
I DIDN’T ASK FOR THE JOURNEY!
I ASKED FOR THE POTATOES!
I DIDN’T ASK FOR DISCOVERY!
I ASKED FOR THEM TWICE!
I SAID BLAND!
I SAID PLAIN!
NOT EVERY SKY REQUIRES FIREWORKS IN THE RAIN!
I SAID QUIET!
LET IT BE!
NOT EVERY DIFFERENCE IS A DEFICIENCY!
YOU CHASE THE FLAVOUR!
I’LL CHASE THE TRUTH!
NOT EVERY DIFFERENCE
NEEDS IMPROVEMENT!
YOU HEARD MY ORDER PERFECTLY!
THE PROBLEM WASN’T HEARING ME!
THE PROBLEM…
WAS BELIEVING ME!
