Sociolinguistic Minefields

As a poet there are rules

that guide me in my craft

It’s very seldom that I use

the word nefarious

Spelling and pronunciation

are not the problems here

It’s when using it in context

that I sometimes feel precarious

There are other words it seems

that I very seldom use

One that readily comes to mind

is obsequious

I discover every time I use

such obscure words that

Folks accuse me of behaving

supercilious



There is a very careful balance

to which I must adhere

I ought not use words that are

pompous or contemptuous

On the other hand, if I am

overly cautious in my speech

I can rightly be considered

pusillanimous

Ah the struggles I encounter

every single day

Sociolinguistic minefields

so very perilous

If I have seemed unctious

or even perhaps injurious

I apologize as I’ve had

no intention to be scurrilous