Tom Johnson
Poetry Editor

BY KEN AUTREY


Oil and Water (Poems limited to the 100 most frequently used words)

Why write first
in time, one day
that may make two,
then many more?
See how words part
water from oil, each
a find or its like.
We look for the long
said of was.

Each day go to water.
Find how number and word
call out now or then.
There look for who, what,
and which. It's a long
why, but when you see it,
most will be down,
out, or more.

She sees with a
look, the one
to say time,
but no people
could long for more,
get into water,
or use all their
first words. Write
this down, go by it,
and part your day
as called numbers.

Words use up
all my time.
I have been more
than down, called
by what you are,
like why to first day.
Long for when this use
of people has not come,
and write what each
will get from the other.
Go on. Make this
come about, water
into oil, my from your.

The 100 most frequently used words

a
about
all
an
and
are
as
at
be
been
bit
by
called
can
come
could
day
did
do
down
each
find
first
for
from
get
go
had
has
have
he
her
him
his
how
I
if
in
into
is
it
its
like
long
look
made
make
many
may
more
most
my
no
not
now
number
of
oil
on
one
or
other
out
part
people
said
see
she
so
than
that
the
their
them
then
there
these
they
this
time
to
two
up
use
was
water
we
were
what
when
which
who
why
will
with
words
would
write
you
your

Ken Autrey, a resident of Columbia, teaches at Francis Marion University in Florence. He has been writing and publishing poetry for the past 15 years. His poems have appeared in The South Carolina Review, The Texas Review, Poetry Northwest, The Devil's Millhopper and elsewhere.


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Last modified 9/12/95