0009 Nowhy Meets Everyhow, Somethen And Anywhence Poem by Michael Shepherd

Every word needs
a good wash now and then –
a good scrub, put it through the wringer
or tumbledry it; hang it on the line outside to dry,
let the air go through it; if it rains
leave it out until the sun shines,
smell it, iron it, check for wear…

have you seen my where around?
I’ve looked everywhere, it’s nowhere to be found,
it must be somewhere; surely you know
what a where looks like?

now you’re not going out like that –
dressed anyhow! Not nohow you ain’t!
you’ll have tidy up somehow!
Why can’t you dress like everyhow?

You never tell me why you do these silly things!
If there’s a how and a where, when you do them,
why isn’t there a somewhy, or a nowhy, and an
everywhy, that you could use to explain?
‘Dunno – just did it nowhy…’

And you say you’ll do your homework ‘then’..
When’s then? Somethen? If I know you,
it’ll be nothen! I wish you’d do it
everythen..

And where did you put your homework anyway?
What do you mean, somethere? Nothere I can see….
Yesterday you left it around everythere…

You’re just so untidy, not a bit like your sister…
I wonder where you get that from?
Somewhence, I guess; nowhence that I can recognise;
there’s nothing but trouble from you kids, everywhence…

* * *

Words are fun. They’re not used up yet.
One moment, they’re no-where – then they’re now-here…
Guess they made a dash for it…