The Right Word Should Be “apprehensive” (Rev.) Poem by Margaret Alice

Back from the library, they’re
angry with me – I lost a book:
“How To Write Really Badly”
(as if one needs advice!)
and must buy another to
reinstate the lost one...

Tiaan is reading aloud from
“Spud – The Madness Continues”
by Van De Ruit; it’s better than
mine – “The Giver” by Lois Lowry –
It’s about fun, a car breaking
down and dad selling mom

“Giver” is caught in fear, given
over to describing it carefully,
looking hysterically for right
adjectives; he had been taught
“distraught” should be “distracted”,
an abstraction in attention

so his “frightened” should be
“eager” and “excited” with a
shudder of “nervousness” –
thus the right word should
be “apprehensive” – and that
would apply to me too…