The Tongue

It only took a moment

One spark

To burn the whole thing down

This thing that meant so much

To so many people.

A violent man

Sparked fires in people’s hearts

They moved into a frenzy

A mob with sticks and swords came

Suddenly from almost nowhere

Someone struck a match

And threw it on the tenement

And everything was flames.

A tongue can such great misery make

It can kill people, ruin homes

Destroy public places

Destroy the present and extinguish futures

Is there no remedy for the violent tongue?

On another plane

A vicious tongue

Keeps lashing everyday

It curses and complains

And twists every which way

I dread to see the fallout

Each time I hear the sound

For everywhere are broken spirits

Lying crushed upon the ground.

Words kill the living spirit

That dwells within a heart

It doesn’t matter who said it

Whether family, friend or foe.

It kills hopes, messes minds

And breeds dread

Fills bitterness within the bones

That finally leads to illness

That saps away one’s life.

Must we not be careful

To sow words that tends to life

Instead of brandishing fire flames

That extinguishes their hope?

If one cannot have the heart of love

To build, to love and bless

Tis better to leave the tongue alone

And let it have some rest.