Aesthetics of Verbal Ammo

Cursing is art.

cloaked whispers

taste oh-so-better

when rolled across

the pointed tip of the tongue

like searing madeira

or like glass marbles in search

for the right rut

across the uneven ground.

feel

the guttery, gravelly enunciation

the earthy vibration

even before your lips part,

each syllable

          a bullet

          a brick

          a bomb

verbal projectiles

on the verge of being dropped

with meticulous aim.

delight

in the primal joy of

the words cavorting like heathens

in the scope of your mouth,

the confines of your genteel façade.

and so,

after much ado,

moisten your lips and

conserve your spit –

you will need so much in such

a short time.

heave the chest

          (breathe in)

and vigorously

fling out

intact the words in

all their mud-flecked glory

past the arched tongue

and spaces between clenched teeth

          (breathe out)

and hope to god that your missiles

hit home

and draw a trickle of

blood

or two

Author's Note

Please be honest. I'd appreciate it.

Reviews

[AG]

"conserve your spit"

one of your classics! my favorite work of yours, donna.

but somehow, i like this poem more when you showed it to me on a piece of paper more than a year ago.

there's something about it, your handwriting maybe, that adds a certain mystique to this one.

nevertheless, i love it.

[Zatoichi]

Honest- ok. the poem is great. hate the title otherwise brilliant.

[Philosophile. (Maddy)]

You've got the writing skill! I'm in awe. This was purely brilliant. You describe speaking and formulating words so vividly and accurately, I felt like I was forming my own.

[Wunderlich]

There's not much to say other than this kicks a*s. The flow, the word choice, the comparisons. I was going to choose my favorite lines from and this and paste them into my review, but I'd end up pasting the whole damned piece, so I'll just leave it at this is one of the coolest things I've read in a while.

[Amanda]

oh yes, i know this feeling well....you have dramatically brought to life the exact feelings one feels when such an assault it being prepare to be launched. the comparisons are really good and not far from the mark.

"...and hope to god that your missiles
hit home
and draw a trickle of
blood
or two"

isn't this the truth....just make sure that the target really need this, because sometimes the harm caused is worse than it does good. it is what it is....

Amanda