Puissant means
powerful.

Someone’s made an offer
of a word to choose
in place of a more common
word. Someone’s
got it in for the speaker
in a high-test way
and now he or she’s
gonna get it.

Now
I have to choose.

It’s such a minute thing, choosing
these choice words. Puissant.
Powerful. I am neither.
Living among the islands
I don’t get to talk much.
I get to think, and honestly
there’s not much talking involved
in that.

So I don’t say much.
Smile, nod, move on. Keep
thinking, though. Tap my cane
to the cadence. Wait
my turn.

It may not come again but
it may, and I will be ready —
puissant, powerful.
Ready.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
onward,
T