I hear you, more than I listen to myself.
Messages of caution or concern,
statements of grace, sentiment
not fallen on inattentive ears.

The words we can,
the words we must,
the words we say.
The words we trust

And this. And we, are we
even comfortable with our vocabulary?
Do we know or can we tell,
right words from the wrong?

Conversation or confrontation, depending
on your situation, those same words mean
something else to someone else.
It’s becomes even more difficult to tell.

The words we say.
The words we hear,
spell out misunderstanding.
Injustice. Pain or fear

Shared experience, descriptions,
details, doubt and deception at times
difficult to put into words.
Our emotions demand that they must.

Honesty is what it is, as it has
always been, but spoken less and less
more and more. It matters not how you
express yourself, only that you do.

© 2020 j.g. lewis