Sunday, June 02, 2013

523 : Words


Based on a Facebook meme that used the above image and said 
"The tongue has no bones but is strong enough to break a heart. 
Be careful with your words."

Words

While the heart can take a beating
From the vagaries of fate,
It’s words that cause the greatest pain
And they never quite abate.
They cut—
Deeply, crudely,
But again,
And again, 
They reassert,
Rallying to the cause,
Repeating the original hurt.

---
© J Cosmo Newbery 2013
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21 comments:

  1. sometimes words are our greatest weapon. and when someone says something that hurts us, we dwell on it.. very truthful.

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  2. A good reminder. I think most of us have been stabbed, whipped and/or bludgeoned with words before.

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  3. Creepy how that works sometimes.

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  4. Brillant! Like the geography of the poem too. That bitch!

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  5. Ahhh-
    A stony heart I met one time,
    It scarcely pumped a beat.
    Angry, bitter, defiant-
    Encased in a casket of defeat.

    She was old, and she would have her way,
    She crushed me when she could,
    With words, deeds, and wicked seeds,
    The woman was no good.

    Yet- I always tried
    To listen and to be kind.
    Surely I could rise above
    A selfish twisted mind.

    On a brilliant day in November,
    I birthed a golden baby daughter-
    I named her Juli-Anna, A name
    In part, she shared with the evil great Grandmother.

    And on that day, I said with simple words,
    "We named her Anna, after you"...
    And with those words something happened,
    Her stony heart, it broke in two.


    True story, my beloved Cosmo :)
    The old Grandmother was still a pain to me, but I never saw so much love poured out on one little child quite the way she loved my daughter. She lived to be 98.




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    Replies
    1. I have long argued that we are 'groups of people', we act to select audiences. No-one is all good and no-one is all bad, though both get painted that way as a cognitive shortcut. Sometimes the sectret to life is to give someoen a different role to play. Well done! :-)

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  6. Isn't that ever so true - words can wound so deeply. Thanks for visiting my blog.

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  7. Words! Can't live with em ...

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  8. So much truth here, J Cosmo. My Mom used to say a tongue is like a knife - it can spread goodness or cut deeply and it all depended on how it was applied.

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  9. "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." -- Ephesians 4:29. Lovely poem, and great introduction, couldn't agree more!

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  10. Brings to mind that old childhood saying that begins: "Sticks and stones may break my bones..."

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  11. Wow - that's a bleeding heart alright. Look as if someone has attacked it with a fish knife:)

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  12. Words can be so destructive and one never forgets what was said. I remember reading "Be careful with your words, they define who you are." Superb poem, everyone should read this.

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  13. A tongue can be most lethal. Try tongue lashing and see where it leads! Great take Cosmo!

    Hank

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  14. Many a harsh word is easily uttered, but not as easily forgotten.

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  15. Yes, so very true. But an "I'm sorry" and "I love you" can help soothe and heal... Unfortunately, too often they aren't uttered. Well done.

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  16. So true. Once words escape our lips they can't be recalled. We are left trying to smooth the waters with words of apology and remorse.

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  17. Cos, you are so right. In past years, I burned many bridges with my acid tongue. Now I save it for politicians.

    It's also good to consider who's talking - as for me, I was an unmedicated, undiagnosed manic depressive. This is not an excuse but an explanation. I always say, "Consider the source," but the words still hurt, and hurt again, just like you said. BRILL. Amy

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