Do not write the word heart.
Like every overused word,
its meaning has bled out,
the way snowflake, repeated,
dissolves into sound.
And thoughts becomes nothing
but the tongue thudding
against teeth,
and prayers, a puff
of air that vanishes.
What you want is new language.
To say that someone
looks different from you,
say beautiful.
When you want to convey
anger, try saying mercy.
When you ask What now?,
say something that’s never
been said.
If you must speak a word
to death, make it
gun gun gun gun gun.
Photo credit: Ben Townsend, Creative Commons, Flickr
Powerful to be able to say so much in so few words. Thank you Elizabeth.
i like imagining what we could say to make a new language: mercy for anger, beautiful for different. thank you, elizabeth