where do words lead us ….?
can you imagine a world without words….
everything i do and think and perceive
is mediated thru a screen of words
look
we cant even discuss words
without using words
most people need words
but
i am a word addict
words are my forte
words are where i come into my own
the english language
oh i take liberties with it
i have no reverence for it
it is a block of marble waiting to be shaped
everytime i sing or speak or write
this language frustrates me
it is only a so so language
i need finer instruments to exactly plot my course
once i could speak sanskrit and latin
in greek i could hold forth in its splendid tongue
now i am hoi polloi
a common english speaking tom dick or harry
born over and over
to play all parts
still my soul retains memories
fractured vistas
impossible times
moods i slip into
these are not steven kilbey
my soul memories seem never to be erased completely bare
things linger on in the half light of intuition and instinct
oh inside me is some graceful man who is an expert on all arts
he tries to communicate but…
damn!
the words get in the way
dont think in words the man seems to say
but as its happening
my mind drowning in words
which word
this word
that word
my stupid clumsy mind
stuffed full of all the words it ate
gorging on 4 syllable latinate desserts
knocking it all back with thesaurus absinthe
you think i can ever make these words stop
the graceful man is saying stop
let go of these words
i can get through
but my mind is trying to make a list of its favourite words
1 silver
2 languid
3 mercury
4 pluperfect
5…….
no stop
the graceful man does not communicate in words
he insinuates
he projects thoughts as wordless pictures and feelings
he says
you are me but for all these words…
world without word
but the word was that first thing
everything was waiting for god to say become
god said become
and it all became
but words…..
in what strange and wondrous language does god talk
i wonder
is it fixed
or does it meander
like english picking up a little french here
a little danish there
a little bit of anglo bloody saxon
put it thru the middle ages
from generation to generation the language is bent
misused
even improved
still i say
i do not love english half as much
as some other language always on the tip of my tongues mind
some magnificent way of expressing the simplest things
imagine a world where everyone was a poet….
would that be too much?
would there be any audience left
imagine a world with no audiences
no readers
no fans
a world where everyone could sing and paint and dance and sculpt
or would it be wonderful/filled with wonders
the city filled with buildings all painted by parallel picassos
the sound of sweet music fills the air
but who trims the lawns
who delivers the goods and bads
who unblocks the pipes
or sees to the wires
where are the doctors
where are the mechanics
where are the midwives and the glaziers
no
some must do
some must observe
some must work
some must hammer and saw and connect and reimburse
or
could it be
that they would hammer in time
saw in rhythm
connect with a poetic flourish
reimburse with gracious flare…..
i cant leave words alone though
the combinations are obsessing me
the power they have
do you mean if i write a certain combination of words
especially words with a musical note attached
sung
then complete strangers will love me?
huh