Poem #14: Small Words

Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia: n. fear of long words

Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia 

is a difficult word to say; 

it is also the name of an island

that I happened across one day. 

Unfortunately, the folk who dwell there

don't understand long words, 

and so they resort to simpler ones 

like "waffle" and "button" and "birds." 

I sailed there once on my little boat

in search of a certain tree,

doing research for a book to be called

The Life of the English Bee.

But, alas, when my boat hit the sandy shore,

my tree was not to be found. 

But then I thought, "I'll ask the King, 

perhaps he's seen one around." 

And so I passed through the palace gates

and entered the Monarch's rooms;

the King sat cheerfully eating an apple tart

with a runcible spoon. 

I said,"Good Monarch, my King and my Liege, 

I'm sorry to trouble you so.

But I seek the Malus domestica,

of which I am sure you know." 

The King, who wished me to think him wise,

tried hard to assemble his face

so that it would not be a mere blank stare,

while his mind tried to quicken its pace. 

He said, "Oh yes, that I know of well. 

I believe it comes from Spain. 

You never should feed it to rabbits, 

but it is good for the human brain."

I stared at the King in marvel, for

I had not expected this. 

He knew many facts which I, a well-known

scholar should never have missed!

And so there I sat for a year or two

by the side of my mentor, the King, 

and took in every word he said,

each and every little thing. 

Til one day, while we shared an ale,

he said, "You ought to know.

I have no faint idea what a Malus 

domestica is, this is all just for show!

"I wished for my people to see a wise king, 

but now I want you for my friend. 

And that is not possible if all I am that 

you know of me is just pretend!

For I am a simple king, simple of mind

and my people use only small words.

we do not understand things like Malus domesticas;

to us, those just sound absurd!"

I laughed, and we've remained firm friends,

myself and that simple king

and I've always remembered to use small words

or he won't understand a thing. 

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