Consider the Reader

Slanguage always creates some doubt

about what we are talking about.

We have to make sure we are clear

what we are talking about here.

The danger of a metaphor;

it makes it less clear than B4.

When a dirty word will suffice.

don’t use it if it isn’t nice.

If we will try hard enough

we can avoid using such stuff.

But if language is too pristine,

the reader won’t know what we mean.

Don’t forget your readers may be

even less literate than thee.

Walt Abbott–12-26-2009