Words
Once spoken
Can never be retrieved
They may be
Poniards or posies
Shine light or bring darkness
Be careful
To taste them first
For once spoken
You never know
If the words said in anger
Will be those needed
To push another
To their breaking point
Or if those said in compassion
Will pull one from
The precipice
Words hold
The power to bring
Life or death
To the soul
For my part, I choose to try my hardest to never speak in anger no matter how misunderstood, judged, righteously indignant, or hurt I feel. I know the weapon that is the word and I don’t like to wield it.
When our parents told us about sticks, stones, and words, they lied.
the kintsukuroi life 
Although your words can say how inane, uncaring and unthinking people are, I can imagine you writing some of the wonderdous and interesting words that go through your mind. I also am sure that the ones that are verbal are less powerful. The everyday ones, may help, but are not as powerful as some you write. Or for that matter, your poems. I don’t think the jerk who parked in the handicapped stripped area would care to listen to a lovey poem about himself. He’s too important to himself to spend the time. Short, blunt and to the point for dummy. We enjoy your takes on life. Not because it happened to you, but we have in one way or another had these dummies also. You gave the real feelings about them.
Your correct. Words do hurt and they can cut like the sharpest knife in the kitchen. As I was once told, don’t say it out loud if you’re not willing to say it to me! That was my mother speaking. I learned somewhat. I was more careful.
What you say out loud also comes from your seemingly inability to fix your medical problems NOW. So once in my life I get to say, “cuss girl, cuss”! 🌹🌹
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I will cuss. I will. When it is time my truth will be spoken. But it will not be spoken out of anger or resentment or hurt. It will be spoken and it will hurt but it will come with forgiveness, understanding, and agape.
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yes
i try to caress
a kinder way
he the son
says i am fighting
back and just kidding
really?
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Very powerful poem, Gwen. And your commentary is spot on.
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I got hit with some ugly words the other day that felt like a tornado whipping one and every way at once and I felt moments where I could have hit back… but instead I chose not to. I can’t change how someone else chooses to behave or how their emotions show in that moment of anger or hurt. The words that were spoken to me cut me very deeply… But that doesn’t mean I should cut back.
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No, you can’t control that. The way people will so easily flay someone with words and pass it off as nothing…almost like we are not the same species.
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And yet, how often we do speak in anger without apologizing it afterwards.
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Yeah! Hurtful words hurt… and healing words can heal!
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