Choice Is Myth, But

There are times, as in haiku,

Four-character line lyrics,

And other fiercely short poems,

When the available slots

To slip words in are so few,

Le mot juste really should rule.

If, in a poem of ten words,

One of those words is southward,

Well, why that and no other?

You can only get so far

Defending a bland word choice

Invoking simplicity.

At first glance, any handful

Of small words seems similar,

The same aesthetic appeal.

But if you want or have to

Cut your words down to a few,

Think hard. Then pretend to choose.