These Words I Use

Politicians and poets used these words before me.
Scholars and barons of business, journalists and
Brick layers have written and spoken every word
I place here on this page. You, dear friends, and

All of our foes, foreign and domestic, generals and
Engineers have each made their inferences and
Claims, all pretty much the same. Granted, Caesar
Had his Latin and Freud his German. Homer and

Socrates philosophized in Greek. Shakespeare, well
Shakespeare, some say, may have said it all. My
Fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Perry, spoke to me concisely
And precisely, sometimes using formulas and equations,

Hoping I would one day come to understand. All my
Life, it seems, I have been on this linguistic journey
Trying to expound, express and expand. To my credit,
I have learned to dot all of my “Is” and cross every “T.”

I try applying the appropriate phraseology to hopefully
Be more clearly understood. But mostly, Webster, in his
Hefty and defining volume has generously provided all
The substance and meaning for me thoughtfully arranged

Alphabetically. Over the past decade or so, Spellcheck has
Helped me appear more educated and astute than I on my
Have a right to be, by technologically righting the wrongs
Of my most egregious misspellings before anyone else who
Happens to read them gets to see.

Chris Hanch 5-27-17