Never read the old words.
Sure, They might still sound the same,
or roll right off your tongue,
but they are not what you are thinking right now.
They aren’t you anymore.
Quit the childish little game,
where you substitute some meme
for what you really mean.
You know,
that deadpan sarcasm
and popular tripe
might have been cute for a minute,
but it’s grown stale quickly
and you are only as relevant
as your words.
What happened to your razor wit?
What happened to that quiet,
curious mind,
that was all at once
disarming,
and poignant,
like a sniper’s bullet?
I’m afraid
that with disuse and age,
it’s more of a rusty,
metal blade.
Maybe good for a slasher,
but not keen enough for surgical work.
No,
your words are well off the mark.
Cheap shots
and accuracy through volume.
You’ve lost the rifleman’s touch.
With age,
came rage
and disappointment,
and impotence.
These things made you cruel,
and cruelty has taken the care
that you once had
for the old words.
Can you go back?
No,
I don’t think so,
but maybe you can start
caring again.
Sharpen your blade
on some hard ideas.
Start with you;
you will know
if your words still work,
if you feel them.
HG – 2019