What is just the mot juste —
not just the mot but the mot juste —
not just the juste but the mot juste?
Give me a minute to find just the
right mot juste, redundantly speaking,
and it may take a life time
of looking and peeking
and the poem may never see
the light of day,
so excuse me for using the
almost mot juste,
the not quite perfect mot juste,
or even the not close to being the mot juste,
for you see, while the sun shines,
I have to make hay,
I really have to say,
because the exactly right word is nay.