this br poem br started off br intending to be the shortest poem in the world br nay, br more aptly br in the whole wide, wide open uni-verse br but ambition overtook it br and it aimed to stretch far and wide br an Aristotelian hubris, you know br like the ambition of Macbeth br going beyond what Mrs Macbeth intended br and so this ambitious little poem of ours expanded br starting meek as grass br growing zealous br and went beyond itself and its kind br this br poem br that br had such humble beginnings br that dared to want to be the shortest poem in the world br but turned out loquacious br and it could go on, it said, br beating all length, breadth and dimension br and would have - br but it got into convulsions and fits br and shock br when it had gone beyond its shortness br and it couldn’t even spell br couldn't even get words right br floating in a soup of red lines in Word or in Mac’s Pages br and so it took its own life br or someone stabbed it like they did to o’erweening Macbeth br or to our poor, poor misunderstood Rasputin who being a Saint was thought a Devil br but was all humble br as the shortest poem in the uni-versebr br Raj Arumugambr br