I went I went out in a brief sunny time between raindrops this afternoon,
bought a cortado at the café on the corner,
and sat sipping, listening to the patter and flow of words around me.
I listened, as impassioned conversation partners
imparted tidbits of revelation and recognition, discovery, and assertion.
Words, so many words, a flood in a language I know but
did not need or want to understand.
Words all around, I sipped my slightly bitter coffee
and wondered to me
if it’s all
Words.
My world is full of them,
in the newspaper,
in the air,
in my brain,
on my phone.
After all the words are gone,
and the chopped-up verbs and subjects,
objects and adjectives
have settled into silence,
what will be left?
The staccato sounds of footsteps,
the breath of wind,
the silent movement of feelings and hungers,
the groan of longings trying to surface.
Ancient grief and joy rising up
through a thousand years of suppressive chopping and observation,
Rising up to break the surface tension of
Conversation and analysis.
What will be left?
The sun rising and setting,
The rain resuming.
Free at last.
Beyond
Words.
bought a cortado at the café on the corner,
and sat sipping, listening to the patter and flow of words around me.
I listened, as impassioned conversation partners
imparted tidbits of revelation and recognition, discovery, and assertion.
Words, so many words, a flood in a language I know but
did not need or want to understand.
Words all around, I sipped my slightly bitter coffee
and wondered to me
if it’s all
Words.
My world is full of them,
in the newspaper,
in the air,
in my brain,
on my phone.
After all the words are gone,
and the chopped-up verbs and subjects,
objects and adjectives
have settled into silence,
what will be left?
The staccato sounds of footsteps,
the breath of wind,
the silent movement of feelings and hungers,
the groan of longings trying to surface.
Ancient grief and joy rising up
through a thousand years of suppressive chopping and observation,
Rising up to break the surface tension of
Conversation and analysis.
What will be left?
The sun rising and setting,
The rain resuming.
Free at last.
Beyond
Words.