“Doheenee”
From the point of view of an eager, word-obsessed youth
who can’t look past the temptation of the English language,
we see that the reality of the situation in which we find ourselves
comes quicker to some than others.
It was an overcast morning in town
Blanket skies for as far as the eye could see
I heard my neighbor cry from his window
“It’s spreading, Doheenee!”
What was spreading I was not sure
But that did not concern me
This excellent word he used, what was it again?
I believe it was Doheenee
I blew open the door for an opportunity to share Doheenee
My mind was bouncing on all fronts
I did not care whether it was a stretch
I just wanted to use once
There was the mailman standing at the curb
An opportunity at last!
But before I got the chance to speak
The mailman said, “Doheenee son, what behooves you to move so fast?”
I was shocked, utterly fascinated
Doheenee seemed to be catching on
I wondered who else was saying it
But before I had the chance to ask, the mailman was gone
My mind raced!
Where else has Doheenee been heard?
I snagged my notepad
I felt an intrigue with this excellent word
I ran into town to see with whom else I could speak
The streets were empty
The stores were closed
The aurora was uniquely bleak
A woman was running quickly down the road
“Excuse me Miss!” I exclaimed
“Doheenee son!” she replied
“Curse me,” I thought. I do not know what this means and it makes me ashamed
I wandered aimlessly about
Thrice removed from sense and time
The more I walked and thought
The farther I got from society and its kind
“This is hopeless,” I thought
Doheenee is suffocating me
I just spoke to someone but gathered nothing
Am I losing touch with reality?
I returned to my street in a daze
Language is my pride, my joy!
Alas, I am unfit to be a scholar
With words I am merely a boy
I laid down in the street
“WHAT IS DOHEENEE!” I screamed
Enraged and bewildered
I jumped to my feet
My neighbor opened his window
He was calm and collected it seemed
“It’s spreading, Doheenee”
I called to him, “What does Doheenee mean?”
“You’re asking the wrong question, son”
He gestured to me to come near
Was my lexicon about to grow by one?
But all he said was
“Get inside son, it’s invisible and it’s coming here.”
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