Many Different Things Poem by gershon hepner

“Words can mean so many different things, ” said Alice
to Humpty-Dumpty, surely puzzled with distress.
The way they are interpreted creates a palace
where every one of them becomes the master’s mistress.

The rhyme of mistress with distress may be distressing
for those whose greatest pleasure comes when they’re pedantic,
but I avoid distress by joyfully addressing
my mistress with my cakes and ale while being antic.

When Alice responds to Humpty Dumpty by saying, “The question is whether you can make words mean so many things, ” Humpty Dumpty retorts, “The question is, which is to be master––that’s all.”

5/10/06