Bushwah

Tell me the old curse.
Tell me what it means,
but use it, use it
like they used to use it,
not as we use it now.
Tell me the old curse,
and pretend I haven't
heard it before.
Tell me the old curse
and pretend that
the world is not
used to it by now,
that it hasn't become
an unfortunate joke,
one with no basis
in reality.
Tell me the old curse.
Tell me it like a lover.
Tell me the old curse
as if no one's heard it
before.