The Right Word

The right word is so annoying,
it always arrives late,
then sits in my head singing,
'I'm what you should have said'

The right word is smug.
Its an 'up its own arse' kind of word,
an absurdly elusive word
that crows its conceited contempt.

The right word is a child,
it never obeys me,
never comes when its called
or when I demand it.

But just tonight, it turned up
right on time, kind of smug, kind of cool,
and made me smile, as I slid it
straight into my next line.

poem by Ruth Walters
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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