Words matter,
sly winks silence not.
Words hurled into sea of humanity
ripple inhumanity.
Build waves tumultuously
till tsunami destroys.
Words matter,
crowds riled to group-think.
Vitriolic spittled slogans,
us-them denigration.
Barbed words
create the wire.
This era,
tomorrow’s ancient script.
Our ever-living shame.
De hosts Monday’s Quadrille at dVerse, the virtual pub for poets. Today’s prompt word is “wink.” A quadrille is a poem of exactly 44 words, sans title. Pub opens at 3 PM Boston time. Come join us!
lillian the home poet 
I am not a poet but I love what this says. So pointed. and I agree. ❤
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Words do matter. Love the ‘group-think’. You have hit on so many important points.
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This is super Lillian. So many points to ponder in this short miracle. We have a lot to be held accountable over.
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I think words have never mattered more… sometimes I feel like we are sitting on a keg of gunpowder…
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Damn rights–words matter more than ever. Ironically it’s a good time to be a poet, a witness to the chaos. Your 44 is so sturdy, so clarion–I applaud your truth, your words.
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“Barbed words
create the wire” is stunning, Lil.
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Oh, I agree, Lill – words matter – and we prove that here at the dVerse Poets Pub. Sterling lines:
‘Words hurled into sea of humanity
ripple inhumanity’
and .
‘Barbed words
create the wire.’
I hope we see some sense in the mid-term elections – for America and for the rest of the world.
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Words can do a lot of damage. Good warning about them.
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I applaud your words and spirit, Lillian! ❤️
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Words absolutely do count, Lillian.
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This packs a punch Lillian- excellent! On the eve of tomorrow, I am praying for a wave- a BLUE ONE!
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Our current society does make me wonder how the future will view us. The line about “us-them denigration” stands out to me.
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So potent–and so true! The last stanza says it all so well!
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Words do matter indeed and can create a hate-filled response. Good luck on elections tomorrow and hoping for the best.
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Oh yes…words matter! Hurled into humanity, ripple inhumanity….such a strong poem!
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“Barbed words / create the wire”. Perfect.
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So true. Will see where it all leads tomorrow. Well said.
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Your message is strong, each phrase packed in relevance to our world today. I especially liked “Vitriolic spittled slogans”. We wait on the edge of our seats here in Canada too, so much out of our hands, except to pray for better days.
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The “group think”, “us/them denigration” and “barbed words” are truly shameful…on all sides! Maybe poets can bring words of truth, hope, and healing to our world 🙂
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This is a tight 44-word combo. I share your sentiments. I hope for reason tomorrow, but I have no reason to be optimistic. Well-written.
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words can sway us, powerful words do that powerfully
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So true–words do indeed matter!
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I love “crowds riled to group-think.
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Wow! Words are containers of power and they do matter! Love your take on this prompt.
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I like this Lillian, though the sledge hammer makes me a bit n-n-nervous… 🙂
…rob from Image & Verse
My “wink”
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