words have a life
of their own
some are poetic and
luscious
others conger
bad thoughts
memories of
castor oil
and forced feedings
of spinach and brussel sprouts

ok, not exactly forced
but i didn't want any of it
nothing healthy
because as a child
we do anything, just about anything
not to eat anything, just about anything
that’s green

i shouldn't have to do that
why do i have to...a 4-letter word
diet

but then it dawns
on me
even at 10 years old
that everyone runs faster
plays longer
wow, i can't keep up

but wait
they don't eat spinach
or brussel sprouts
they eat...a 4-letter word
junk

why can't I
be that way
eat a box of twinkies
and be a twig
eat jelly beans
all day
and be a string bean
life is not ..another 4-letter word
fair

and so i started eating
more bad things
the devil dogs
and ho-hos
and oh no
before you know it
another 4-letter word creeps in
i am phat...
and not the good kind

so i wake up
many, many times
wanting to do that awful thing
diet (4-letter word)
but i
fail (4-letter word)
again and again
because I don't know
exactly what to do


but then i wander
into space,
cyberspace
and find this lovely place
where people learn
about food (4-letter word)
that's good (4-letter word)
for us
inside and out
the king (4-letter word)

and i start to think
i actually will lose (4-letter word)
the weight
the pounds
the albatross
that i have carried
all my life (4-letter word)
and start to live (4-letter word)

now I believe
I will do this 4-letter word
called diet
do it right
do it every day
learn all the time
do everything i have to do
to finally be....
here it is
the 4-letter word
i have aimed for all my life..
thin

Now that's a 4-letter word
I can live with
yes, yes indeed