The Weight of a Word

Eager and anxious are heavy,
One with seeds of joy,
the other, clouds of doom.
Hate is heavy, like its brutish brothers,
Loathe, detest, despise, abhor.
Some words awaken sorrowful tears:
Bereavement, trauma, alienation.

Intent on harm, Letter words weigh a ton:
The N-word, the Q-word—pick a letter.
Words, like stones, are hurled at protesters,
Fallen women, traitorous men, and saints.
Words flood the ears with hurricanes of nonsense.
Can weigh enough to crush the soul.

Some words bubble with delight:
Effervescence, sparkle, fizz, zest.
Some words caress the senses:
A still pond, a serene smile, a tranquil spirit.
Some words are crafty:
Sly as a fox, forked-tongue, two-faced.

Love is a fickle favorite:
Love ya, love pets,
Love chocolate cake, purple, rainbows.
Silver and platinum are precious,
As are rubies, diamonds, and commitment.
Words elevate the spirit, bind it in chains,
liberate the mind, make it a slave,
And free those yet unborn to seek the light.