Words

Cheeky little blighters,
silent enough to slip unspoken
through the tightest security.
Audacious, irreverent,
helping us laugh, chuckle, giggle,
forget our troubles for a short while.
Collect them, select them,
a pride of nouns,
a mischief of misdemeanours,
a wholesome snicker of double entendre.

Intoxicating creatures,
painting pictures,
whispering undying love,
lifting spirits, breaking hearts.
Chastising, praising,
nurturing, raising.
Essential little hand tools
for describing, explaining,
trying to fathom
the beauty and the mystery of life.

Powerful bastards,
weapons on the lips 
of politicians and presidents.
The potential to heal scars,
stop wars or cause them,
build empires, obliterate countries,
save the world
or destroy the planet.
Words, black as tadpoles,
ubiquitous as death.