By Brian Weilert
Words
and the ability to fling them about effectively
is power
Wars are instigated
avoided
resolved
by the manipulation of these small creatures
Words can woo, caressing the soul...softly
Or come hot and HARSH to heat up the CROTCH.
Words lash out and slice the heart into two unequal halves.
Oh, words are omnipotent
Unspoken words,
so piercing and pliable
they are able to capture a burgundy sunset
traveling as pure energy through the joined hands
of two lovers
or
Move as a silent glare
across a noisy room
PRESSING
hard down on the visual victim
voicing utter disdain. (Pause and glare)
The single word
NO
Accompanied with a slap
to the back of a hand
It is the first word we
recognize
Hot stove
NO
Tonguing the outlet
NO
Spewing the pasty spinach onto our rashed chin
NO
Caught crouched in a corner
Concentrating on the simple Freudian pleasure
of filling our diapers
NO, NO, NO
We learn about the boundaries,
the restraints of our universe
in one word
no
First words,
Cooed from the virgin throat of a child
"DA-DA"
causing pools to collect, pause....
in the eyes
before meandering down a stubbled cheek
to be smeared by a thick grease-creased knuckle
from a man who never cries.
a first time father
with a million words to choose from
unable to find a single one
to express himself
A proxy tear speaking on his behalf
Lies
from a child
claiming, "I didn't do it." (kid voice)
Red flushed cheeks fill
Downcast eyes widen
scuffed sneakers push dirt about at the toes
in a distraction tactic
innately programmed in those
who still have superheros on their underwear.
"The toad just drowned."(kid voice)
Dirt shuffle
"I found him that way." (kid voice)
shuffle, shuffle
Lost words
dodging, hidden just when you need them
ALL YE, ALL YE IN COME FREE!!!
nothing
An insult has been flung
a counter attack is mandatory
"I.....but......it was....just.....yeah, well you're a............you.....
nothing
You know the words are hanging out with Wit
heads thrown back in a thunderous guffaw
waiting to show themselves hours from now when it is too late
Bombarding you with retorts so cuttingly clever you
almost
pick up the phone
Simple words that change the course of lives
I DO
promising that you will be there
25 years from now
50 pounds from now
5 kids
42 pets cycled through
a double mortgage
mid-life motorcycles and mustaches
mastectomies, vasectomies, hysterectomies
"Would you still love me if I lost use of my legs?"
"Yes"
"What if I was horribly disfigured in a fire?"
"Yes"
"How about if I served you with divorce papers?"
(Pause)
"Just kidding."
Dishonest words
masked in a myriad
of smiles too big;
toothy cartooned gapes
crying out,
"Believe me cause I'm telling a lie!"
Politicians so in tune with the status quo
they know
just where
and when
and who to blow
smoke
at...
