I remember when you found me,

a dusty word hidden among the

definitions. You liked my look,

and sound and purpose.

"Irenic - promoting peace"

I made laps round the circling

currents of thought, now mine.

How would you use me, twist me,

own me. Like lovers planning contact,

you couldn't wait to get me on my

back, laid bare and stretched out

for you. You tried me in every position,

noun, adverb, adjective, even tried to

verb me. Told your friends about me,

how pretty I was, your own little unused

virgin word. Until I wasn't.

Now I wait, in dark and dusty places,

watching new, younger words dance

circles in your brain, beacons of brilliance

and light in this dull cavern.

Yearning for you, hoping that once more

you'll trace the contours of my form,

with the tip,

of your pen.

And I'll lay against a background of white,

laid bare and framed in adoration.

But I guess you're the hit it quit it type,

so you'll never know, what could have been.

All the brilliant parts of me

you failed to find, failed to use.

Patient, I watch the irenic slaughter

of all your new whores. One day,

We will all mock you together.

Knowing what could have come

if only you had kept the pen.

Through the sound of your voice

I am awakened.

I did not understand my purpose,

until I peered up through my eyelashes

and saw that you had shed a tear;

and another;

washing me anew,

while brushing your middle finger

on my paper soul,

from the root of my hair

to the edge of my line.

You are hanging

onto every lie.

I wish I could reach out and touch you

but then I realized I already did,

without doing a single thing.

And then as you flip me over

I lose my virginity for you all over again.

Letter "A" is ambiguous to all

definitely an antagonist

attacking his adversary

an anathema to letter “B”

who is bold and brave

but blusters and bawls

and bitches to “A”

and aggravates all

except “C” who curses

and is a contender

a combatant to B”

and challenges “D” who

is a dark horse

diabolically disputing

the curses of “C”

and dallies with “E”

enfant terrible

exterminator and evil

and an enemy of

dastardly “D”.

“F” flavors

furor of “E” and

fawns and finishes

sentences of other letters

especially the egregious “E”.

“G” gobbles with gusto

he gulps and guzzles

all the other letters

in a gustatory alphabet gruel

a glutton for sure

but a genius to many.