The Truth About Tigers

In youth, we were warned to fear
the fracturing wrath of sticks and stones,
rhymes turned gospel, yet failing to see
the danger, the deeper peril our tongues can bear.

Not merely the whip-lash sting of sharp speech
that cuts like thorns, leaving valleys
gouged shallow in gossamer skin,
but the true might of words, when artfully wrought,
to rally unseen crowds into frenzied mobs,
to launch laden ships toward distant wars,
to send young men marching proudly
to untimely tombs.

The capacity to wreak systemic harm,
to kindle the fire in zealots’ hearts,
to burrow below the facade we wear,
unearthing the darkest fragments of our souls
eager for a sign to unleash their fury.

The sway to topple democracies,
to shatter dreams, to dampen desire,
to stoke slow-burning angers into wild,
consuming flames that scorch the earth.

Yet, when wielded with wisdom,
words can forge unbreakable bonds,
liberate the shackled, unify scattered tribes.
and light a path through the darkest minds.

They can offer forgiveness, bring healing,
impart knowledge, express gratitude,
lay to rest the weapons of strife,
and rebuild the cracked foundations of society.

They possess the power to inoculate a community
against the insidious creep of hatred,
planting seeds of empathy, kindness, and understanding,
which can take root and flourish,
spreading wider than we ever imagined.

In words, we find both the blade and the balm,
two sides of a coin, spinning in our hands,
its true weight measured
by how we choose to let it fall.

This poem was written in response to Bartholomew Barker’s Monday Poetry Prompt over at Living Poetry.

“This week let’s write a poem with the words below, side and true in it. This is another of those prompts where I randomly choose three words from a list of the top 1000 words in the English language plus a few of my favorites. Post your poems in the comments below.”

For a deeper dive into Bartholomew Barker’s exceptional work, visit his personal website at bartbarkerpoet.com.