she called to the class
to the crowd
to the baying mob
GIVE ME A WORD
any word
and i will turn it into something
magical

and they called out
any number of words
of sounds
of syllables
and none of them would do

and she froze
and waited
as a wave of jeering sound
crested up and over
she fell against the tide

until someone from the back called
quiet
and then it fell upon her
upon them
and a word was magic
after all