If you Were Still Alive

In spite of what I know everyone says
about each successive generation

being deficient,
not as able,
morally superior
or grammatically correct

as the one before,

I am privately convinced
of the truth of the proposition
that today's youth's knowledge
of the English language

Is sadly lacking,and that even those
who should know better,

To wit,

those writing for the local paper,
do not know how to properly use pronouns

Or, indeed,

that English has a subjunctive,
a fact that you revealed to me
when I came home and told you
that French had a subjunctive but that

English didn't.

So I just wanted to say that I still remember
all that stuff and that in spite of my

Extreme annoyance

at your continual repetition of the entire rule
and its complete explanation,
every time I said,

"It's me"

I want you to know that every time
I hear someone misuse a pronoun
I not only mutter under my breath,
but I think of you and think,

"If you were still alive..."