Words and Meanings

We do fairly well with our words and our meanings,

Except where they lead to the destruction of the environment,

And to persecution, injustice, poverty, starvation, and war.

In those instances, it would be better if we learned to keep silent.

That still leaves us plenty of room for poetry, and for self-exploration.

It leaves us room to express our love, gratitude, and astonishment

At finding ourselves able to write and speak at all,

Able to breathe, able to pick up and hold a newborn baby or lamb,

To describe what it’s like to feel their hearts beating,

And our hearts beating. It isn’t really necessary,

But sometimes it’s nice to try to describe these things,

Even if it’s only to remind ourselves how hard it is,

And how often words fail, through no fault of their own.

Yes, we do fairly well, from Baby Boo-Boo to Shakespeare,

From the great wanderers and sages, Ha-Ha and Ho-Ho.

Even you and I do alright when we give it our full attention

And refrain from advertising. Oh, we can be clumsy,

But that’s part of the fun. Doing it in the right spirit is what counts.

Yes, we do fairly well, with our words, and our meanings.

In an old cemetery, I once saw an epitaph that read,

Who knows the dreams that lie here buried?

Let’s not bury ours alive.

[ 2086 ]

William Michaelian