ON THE NEXT TO LAST DAY OF MARCH
by
Wendy Clement

Word: Penultimate
Question: Will he be very jealous?

Penultimate
Penultimate
Who dreamed up such a word?
It doesn’t make a bit of sense
That I have ever heard.

The ‘Next to last’
The ‘Last but one’
Both do the job just fine
Who needs to use four syllables?
Especially in a rhyme!

Penultimate
How could it be
That you should be my fate?
The month of March is near its end
My submission will be late!

Who’s jealous now?
I’m jealous now!
Of all the other scribes
With words like flight and bling and clock
Perhaps there were some bribes?

Hallelujah!
Obdurate
Did not end up my way
I probably would have given up
And opted not to play!