Words

They can form deep within a soul,
break spirits or make them whole,
cause belly laughter or draw tears,
allay worries and quiet fears.
They can spark a revolution,
crumble a crooked institution,
cause people to pull together,
or cause rifts that last forever.

They can fascinate their writer,
gift epiphany to a reader.
Sometimes they're meant to enlighten,
other times they're used to frighten.
At weddings, they're often delightful,
during arguments, they're spiteful.
They can't be taken back completely,
especially when they sting too deeply.

Spoken softly, they can seduce,
spoken harshly, they can reduce.
Said calmly, they might console,
when sung, they might stir your soul.
If ignored, they're simply wasted,
if adored, it's as if they're tasted,
as they form on tongue tips,
then spill from between parted lips.


Published at Contemporary Rhyme

"Words"