.
When the words slip free
rain through fingers
sunlight pouring loose,
lost
and tossed to wind’s whim,
refuse to assemble
along ivory battle lines,
I long to study their foreign roots
utter origins of Latin, Arabic
command them with proper accent
and woo their road-weary hearts
into submission.
These uncertain syllables
bob and sway
squeak out their hesitant
“quoi?” and “que?”
and wander about in the streets
left to their own recognizance;
collect ammo of my ignorance,
plan their final ineloquent mutiny.
.
.
Written for Poetic Bloomings.
Excellent take on this prompt. Sunlight pouring loose is such a wonderful phrase. Make me feel all nice and warm and toasty.
I love the lull and imagery of these lines:
“When the words slip free
rain through fingers”
“These uncertain syllables
bob and sway”
This is an interesting look at the origin of words.
I often have the same longing, but fear the battle I am losing. Love the images of the ivory battle lines and collecting ammo for the mutiny.
Yes, words wander everywhere and yes, it is uncertain how they read – only I feel so lucky that you reach out and I feel so lucky that you can use Google Translate.
Mange tak for digtet og jeg er også fascineret af ordenes oprindelse.
Mange tak, Andrea!
Oh I love this!!! Etymology is one of my favorite things–root, root, root
YOU NEED A BLOOM FOR THIS!!! SO magical!! Love this:
“I long to study their foreign roots
utter origins of Latin, Arabic
command them with proper accent
and woo their road-weary hearts
into submission.”
Amazing!!
Esp. love the final stanza — and I, too, love to look up the origin of words