Oath by Michael Leong

If to dis is to cuss,
   then I’ll write,
      “the gust took the discus
         off course
            quite a distance”
               in cursive.
                  To do otherwise
                     would be discourteous.
                        Like passing off
                           curdled milk
                              for custard.
                                 Or curtsying
                              with your fingers
                           crossed. But if
                        to dis is to curse,
                     then I’ll slur
                  my words, curb
               my tongue,
            short-circuit
         my discourse,
      & curtail
   my coprolalia,
with a cursus.*