By the way,

by way of introduction

I’d like to put it this way:

this pulpit is way

too imposing for the way

my humility usually speaks.

So let’s say

that in what follows my speech

happens to stray

from its accustomed way

of arriving on foot

and pulls up instead

in a big, black motorcade

with tones dictatorial,

you know the way

to take it:

Blame the furniture.