Challenge
words have power
Indelible
Whoever said
“Sticks and stones
may break my bones,
but words will never hurt me”
did not know the power of
a well-timed verbal barb.
Many a sting I’ve endured
from sharp sticks and rocks alike.
But never did the pain
pierce so deep
or linger so long
as a vitriolic word.
What is not commonly known
about the nature of the spoken word
is that words hold a tangible substance,
solid as any physical thorn.
Once released into the atmosphere,
words may impart a gift of hurt
in a single cutting remark,
unable to be retracted,
lasting as a wounded heart.
If only we all took some time
to consider the indelible mark
left behind by the words we speak.
Maybe we would wait a moment
before expressing our thoughts,
or simply let a few nasty syllables
fall unspoken by the wayside.
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