Words

There is a proper time and place for things,
Mother always says. Once, she scolded me.
I had been caught using bad words, words
I heard my older brother speak, our neighbor

Yell, and my playmates giggle to. Silence, to her,
Meant submission. She had turned to face
Me, looked into my clear wide eyes and fixed
Her sharp stern stare which cut my throat

Flawlessly, like a thousand knives. It wasn’t long
Before I’d taste my own salty tears and choke
Mutely. All that trouble because I misused my
Words. I wondered, what did I say? I must have

Been too young to comprehend. I did not
Know what they meant. And so, I learned
To temper my tongue. Hold back
If I feel I must. This is what is expected

Of you. Inevitably, growing older each year,
I kept hearing the same ghastly words. People
Misuse words daily. All their pointless chatter,
Those cheeky rumor mongerers, whispering

Back-stabbers, loud and obnoxious mockers, them
Simple liars. Now tell me, you know more than you
Should. I’m sure you’ve been one of them at some given
Time and place— whether you meant to hurt another

Or admit to tactlessness, doesn’t matter. Discovering
The true weight of words is by no means easy, know
Their meaning, and understand. It is another thing
To believe. One cannot undo what has been said.