SNAFU Poetry

Gamers and governments
Can’t resist acronyms.
Scientists can’t either,

Nor large corporations.
Come to think of it, who
Hasn’t tried their hand once?

Well and good when the words
Were already in use
As those settled phrases,

And the three-letter block
Of initial letters
Snapped together nicely,

Compactly, a small click
Actually convenient
For insider uses—

But the monstrosities
Of purpose-built phrases
Forced to heft acronyms

That are just ugly words
Made of ugly choices
Amounting to groaners,

They should be . . . should be . . . what?
Hurled into the fiery pit
Where more efficient forms

Of efficiency are
Naturally selected.
Find anywhere the young

And the marginal sign,
Say, in clubs, among gangs,
Early flip-phone texting,

And see how ruthlessly
Overblown acronyms
Vanish in streamlined verse.