by Abbi Kenny
a –ey: uh–
b –bee: buh–
c –see: s–
pro–nun–ciation
“Cam and Jan kicked the can.”
“Cam and Jan ate a ham sandwich.” we
learn from repetition.
you understand me
as long as i speak clearly.
ey is for ah–pull.
please repeat
a is for apple.
ideas are not made of letters:
letters are added to ideas.
yet, my tongue will dictate my opinion.
uh–pin–yuh n, kuh n–vik–shuhn, ten–nit
100 years ago,
1000 years ago,
10000 years ago,
china, australia, venezuela, catalonia. a
–ey: uh–
“Cam and Jan kicked the can.”
“Cam and Jan ate a ham sandwich.”
letters change their form.
words mature.
met–uh–mawr–fuh–sis
“do you still speak ing–glish?”
[Abbi Kenny is currently a sophomore at the Rhode Island School of Design studying Painting and Art History. She grew up just outside of Boston and has lived her whole life in New England. This poem is about her time in school and coping with a speech impediment.]