A rose by any other name would

Smell as sweet

We’re told,

And Speed

By any other name

Would still be

A guy who lives in California

With my sister.

A guy who serves and supports—

Helped me send out my book

Gave us the best holiday ever

Married us in Seattle

And

Stands for the highest values

Up there

Waiting for us to catch up.

He knows stuff too

Or can look it up on mysterious

Devices.

Let’s get back to that name

Speed.

Like swift cars

Fleet deer

Rapid transit

Fast forward

Urgent.

That’s not quite

This brother. No.

I’d choose another name

Perhaps as sweet—

A name to mean

Singularity

Integrity

Fidelity

Those words better

Describe a man

In California

Who stands—

In contradiction

To that name—

Waiting for us

To catch up.