Words you knew not to say
you said.
Though you prefaced with
‘you’re not going to like this,’
you said them anyway.
You knew those words had venom,
that would poison her heart,
you said them.
And you watch the poison take her
ooze out through tears of
hurt,
doubt,
rejection.
You pretend your purpose was care,
but caring is never deliberately cruel,
caring steps gently amid sensitivity,
caring builds supports to encourage.
In your mouth you have an anti-venom,
but you are silent,
contentedly watching the destruction
of the crushed spirit turning black
from the poison of
your words.
Moving farther from your affection
every moment you wait.
Shawn L. Bird 
you write what lives in your heart in a simple eloquence
Thank you for your kind words!
That is a deep insight.
Thank you, Jim.
Gritty, nuanced and provocative (my favorite word) treatment of a difficult and important topic. In short, you rock, Shawn!
Thanks, Melody
Wow, I always want to know the real people who inspired these words. And I picture you watching them with the poetry wheels turning in your brain. A very Dali-esque kind of scene.
🙂
A lot of people, real and fictional, turn up in the poems, that’s true!
Reblogged this on old enough to know better and young enough to do it again and commented:
i feel your pain, and identify with your experience…i don’t pretend to know what you’ve been through, but please know, that i feel you…i have my own pain and my own experience, but reading your poem…made me feel less alone…thank you!!
Words cannot be taken back. True anti-venin is being loving.
Good point.