Word
A word under a mountain
or hid behind the woodstove.
A word against deviltry,
a hypothetical construction
spoken by a trousered ape.
A word that means something
other than what it means.
Graced with veins and speckles.
With pieces torn out of it.
A word in conjunction
with another word.
You say it and it stays said,
though it can never be written.
The homesick word,
overwrought with describing itself,
pleading for absolution.
Words foregoing the alphabet
and changing into names,
into numbers and colours,
into pictures blurred by sentiment.
Look at this word a long time,
an intellectual exercise.
Read into it what you want,
definition a shackle,
every word a lip split.
Every word a bloody mouthful.
Pushcart nominee Bruce McRae is a Canadian musician with over 900 poems published internationally, including Poetry.com, Rattle and The North American Review. His first book, The So-Called Sonnets is available via Silenced Press and Amazon. To see and hear more poems go to : BruceMcRaePoetry