Despite tres años 
of high school Spanish
and years of living 
among native speakers 
I cannot have a conversation 
with the crew that's come 
to tend to my storm-damaged 
hackberry, I know unos pocos 
palabras solemente, 
sin grammatica, 
y sin grammatica 
no puedo conversar.
Y así hablamos 
in the language of business,
of dollars and hours 
and thank you, ma'am, 
so much must go unsaid, 
the Orwellian stripping away 
of demasiado, of la sutileza, 
leaving only my gratitude 
for a job done double plus good.