Weight of Words

"There is a right time for everything: A time to be quiet, a time to speak up." Ecclesiastes 3:7, The Living Bible

 

 

My words longed to stretch forth

 from their cramped space,

Stand tall and speak out.

Yet I zipped them shut,

Jagged metal prongs

Of confrontation and offense

Cutting the underside

Of my tightly sealed, smooth lips.

 

Weighing on the scales,

Futility of argument on one side,

Possible perception on the other

of tacit agreement.

O  wisdom of Solomon

 be mine,

Grappling and grasping

The mystery of

the right time.

 

 

Reviews

[Ed Fagan]

I should have read this when I was a younger man. It may have tought me to pick and choose my wars. I respect this write.

[An owl on the moon]

You strike a chord so deep... one that impacts us all... our words... how wisdom knows when to embrace silence... when to speak forth... We all need the desire to know the difference. Thank you so much for sharing!

[Jai Garg]

Your last stanza weighs you down against the harsh realities that life brings to the fore.

The right moment would be the love when you see and feel it; beyond any words of wisdom.

[TL Boehm]

wow. the right time indeed. this poem for its paucity of words, speaks volumes. How often I know I open my mouth and speak when I shouldn't - or even as a wordsmith I am reduced to expletives. Well penned.

[Fabian G. Franklin]

There is a proverb which reads, "When a wise person contends with a fool, whether the fool rages or laughs...there is no peace" And Jesus said, "Do not cast your pearls before swine because after the swine trample them under their hooves, they will turn and tear you to pieces"...Yes, a time to speak out and a time to remain silent...often discretion is indeed the better part of valor. Excellent piece.

[LonelySoul]

hmmmm....this is some heavy writing,nice work

[JENY]

Yes….
Ways of time….
Is really a mystery….
Time rules the roost…
Sometimes it feels so…
Loved the way you told the theme….
Keep writing…

[Bubo]

Excellent portrayal of when we dither, do we speak or keep quiet, loved the great metaphors you have written, very wise and true. I gave up zipping it sometime ago, I realised to keep quiet does not always work, and find mostly those offended don't like the truth!

[David W Moore III]

I love the jagged metal prongs cutting you trying to get out. Fantastic metaphor.

[nono]

Weight of words? Interesting. I like this it's very creative sometimes you just don't know what to say or when to say it. This is nice though I like it!