Poets are wordsmiths.
We deal in words.
With them, we construct
Brilliant edifices that
Withstand the passage of centuries.
(Well, not me maybe, but some inspired few.)
With words man can communicate
The most difficult of complexities
Or the simplest of emotions.
Through the correct combination,
Words can elevate, motivate,
Cause a whole nation to act as one.
Language, the speaking and writing of words,
Has raised man above all other earthly lifeforms,
Has allowed him to accumulate and disseminate
Knowledge from antiquity to posterity,
To become sophisticated and civilized.
Words, even a single word, can
Alter lives, change destinies,
Bring unbounded joy,
Bring unbearable sorrow.
We compile dictionaries to
Tell us the meaning(s) of words.
But, sometimes the true meaning
Comes not from the word itself,
But from the tone of voice,
By the nuance added,
When that word is released upon the world.
Moreover, some words have such a range
Or depth of meaning.
Take 'love', for example.
Love describes that heartfelt feeling
One has for his children and wife,
An emotion so intense one would
Willingly lay down his life for
Their sake. Strongest emotion possible!
Yet, I would 'love'
To meet you for lunch someday,
To have a drink of water.
So what means 'love'?
Probably no other word
Covers such a wide range of meaning.
Well, okay, maybe
'Hate'. Hate describes that heartfelt feeling
With which one detests his country's enemies,
Or someone who raped and murdered his child,
An emotion so powerful one would
Willingly lay down his life for
Vanquishing these enemies'.
Strongest emotion possible!
Yet, I would 'hate'
To miss my favorite TV show,
To spill my drink at lunch.
So what means 'hate'?
Probably no other word
Covers such a wide range of meaning.
Well, okay, maybe....