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.