Words can paint
a picture of such richness,
take me to a space of such bliss,
sound like a symphony
that touches my heartstrings.

But words also confuse,
fill my head with endless chatter,
take me away from myself,
sentencing me
to a life of emptiness.

Words can twist memories,
distort experiences,
make excuses,
justify cruelty,
create distance,
maim and wound.

So powerful, words can create war,
their tongue an instrument
as deadly as any bomb.
At times I gasp in horror
wondering was it really me
who made that off comment?

How I crave the sweetness
of simple words from the heart.
They are the silver pearls
we all search for
in the stormy seas of life.