Caveat Scriptor

It's not a prerequisite, of course, but if a piece of writing is any good, chances are it's probably offensive to someone. (Paraphrasing John Irving-A Widow for One Year) So, writer beware...


Words are a writer's stock in trade,
To ply it well requires a versatile,
Not volatile, vocabulary.
With words a writer's claim to fame is made,
But words can have broad repercussions.
So when he writes
He should select them well,
Not just to sell,
But so they don't arouse the scrutiny
Of those guys who comprise Homeland Security
And become the subject of discussions
Of the FBI, the CIA,
The DAR, the DMV,
The IRS, the IRA,
USPS, the EPA,
The PTA, SPCA,
AARP or AAA,
Twitter, NAACP,
The NFL, the MLB,
The LGBTQ community,
The NRA, the PGA,
NASA or the BBB,
Ellen, Oprah, Dr. Phil,
An ad hoc Sunday sermon bill,
Or his city, county, state constabulary.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2022

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Marcum Wong Avatar
August 1, 2022 at 7:47 PM
That is exactly where poetic license comes in, wouldn’t you say? : ) Very clever Jim. Blessings xxoo
Slaughter Avatar
August 2, 2022 at 10:34 AM
Well, Connie, I know I have certainly used P L on many occasions. Thanks.
Bauer Avatar
August 1, 2022 at 12:02 PM
Ha! Great point made, Jim! I know I should avoid controversial topics when I write, but sometimes such words just need to be said and I’m willing to accept the consequences. The humor in your poem adds a lot to it, but the message comes across loud and clear…
Slaughter Avatar
August 1, 2022 at 1:40 PM
Thanks, Ilene. It helps if the author really believes what he/she is saying and not just trying to be literary.
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