Words from a Teacher's Past, 4

“Words, words, words.”

—    Hamlet (2.2)

List #1: (e) exert, (f) immolate

He stood and watched it immolate—

Did not exert himself at all.

He didn’t even make a call

To 911—oh, that’s not great.

It was the jail where he’d been held

For all those years—back in the day

When he’d done crimes, got put away.

“Now finally—at last!” he yelled,

“The jail—yes, the abandoned one—

Is burning now—that’s justice, Yo!”

But then, just as he turned to go,

The cops showed up. The end of fun.