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If I could tell you stories, I would make you laugh

I would make you cry

I would turn the world right around–full three hundred and sixty.

I would shake you up

(that’s right)

I would make your lips curve up

I would make your mouth form a perfect

Circle

(maybe a dimpled oval)

I would make your mouth tremble

I would make you

Lose Control!

I would feed you words you can’t resist

words so delicious–tantalizing beyond reason

(nothing else like it)

You live for this–for me to tell you

All.

Listen to me.

I can change your life with

One

Word

Weighted so heavy you will collapse.

You don’t know how much of a burden words can be.

Every day my head pounds

Words bursting fighting knocking clamoring pounding

to

            get

                        OUT!

If I expelled every word every day, I would be locked away.

Words like poison

dripping

v

   e

      n

         o

            m

            lethal

            hurtful

No one wants to hear.

Honest–so

Sharp!

yet so blunt.

Form the perfect weapon that can drive a wedge through the stomach

The Heart.

Lies like darts–

S l o w

Deadly.

You don’t see them now, but you will.

And they hurt in the end.

Restricted                                                

Barred

Caged

I CAN’T!

                        I have no choice.

All I have are the joyful words

Sparkling!

Delicious!

Enlightening!

I tell what you want to hear.

This is…

            This is–

                        all–

This is all I have to say.

The doctor is out.

*Scholastic Silver Key for Poetry