Some words roll off your tongue
and have psychic power
even if their meaning
means nothing to you.

I didn’t know what the fruit kumquat was
other than being in the citrus family,
but I loved its sound, and would say it
with frequency and abandon
for years.

I found the look and consistency of guacamole
distasteful. I’m still not a big fan.
But when wrestling in grade school,
I would shout “Guacamole power”
before leaping onto my enemies and friends alike.
I’d usually get my ass kicked,
but I felt empowered during the beatings.

Sometimes, people’s names work the same way.
Debbie Gibson was a name bandied about
not because I loved her music
but because of the vowels and consonants.

I just had to again look up who Seymour Hersch was
but his name is a constant source of inspiration to me,
because it sounds so very powerful.

Names hold influence. Just imagine, if you will,
if Seymour Hersch were to be making guacamole
while listening to Debbie Gibson and sucking on
a kumquat?

I shudder to think.