instant

Why is the word yes so brief? It should be the longest, the hardest, so that you could not decide in an instant to say it, so that upon reflection you could stop in the middle of saying it.

I'm striding down the avenue, And rapidly at that, When my progress runs me up against An intersection at The crux of which, depending from A stanchion overhead, An all-commanding traffic light Presents two disks of red: One to the way that crosses, one To the way that favors me; A situation...