I opted for a different take on the text prompt.

The question has been raised:
N or Mal?

Well, mal is bad—
but then Mal can be a pal
(ask the Beatles)
getting the word out
and getting things done

and without it
a polar bear is just an ani

(Annie, are you okay?)

Plus I’m not sure
we want to live
under a new nor

So that leaves N

N has become a symbol
for one of the worst words

I don’t even like to say
the word meaning ‘slight annoyance’
that sounds a lot like it

On the other hand
we’d run into a lot of trouble
without N

(Or, should I say
we’d ru i to a lot of trouble)

Names would start leaking vowels
all over the place
turning us into bleating creatures

A certain conjunction
would become the new beer commercial
(or we’d all sound like we had stuffy noses)

And an annoying noncommittal grunt of assent
would become nothing more than exhaling

I’m thinking we’re going to continue
to need both

Such a question!

26 June 2021