Words that squirm

Sometimes words are magnets stuck to your heart
in melody, prophesy, promise:
true or false. 

Sometimes words are puff-balls on weedy-stalks:
whispering things that blow away
on a breath.

Sometimes words make points that hurt:
bitter rusty knives that jab
and scar.

Words behave like viruses – mutate, transform, disguise.
Sometimes they mean the opposite of what they meant
before.

And sometimes 
these eels, these words that squirm with life
come leaping from your mouth
in love.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2023

Poem

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Lawless Avatar
February 23, 2024 at 5:32 AM
"these eels, these words that squirm" WOW....I shall award this a true Bostonian "WICKED AWESOME"....nicely, and sharply, done Jeanette
Swan Avatar
February 24, 2024 at 1:07 PM
Thank you for your kind words. Glad you enjoyed the wandering on words. J :)
One Avatar
December 31, 2023 at 4:13 AM
Your have summed up words really well here Jeanette.. I like how you formatted the poem giving emphasis to how words affect in different ways..
Swan Avatar
December 31, 2023 at 4:55 AM
Thank you. they are hard things to tame, but wonderful too.
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