Words are my life,
Not just to speak my thoughts,
Not just to free-associate with my shrink,
Not just to count backwards before anesthesia.
Words are the actors in my poems,
The plots in my short stories,
The themes in my essays,
The motives in my novels.
Words are “the stream I go a-fishing in,”
The difference between existing
And living.
They should, like Hamlet advised,
Be “trippingly on the tongue,”
Flowing in glorious waves,
Not clogged in my throat,
Rotting a gap in my brain,
Causing an irrevocable impasse
Between desire and action.
When I can’t recall the word I want,
When it waves on my tongue,
I feel tortured by its closeness and
Begin a relentless game of alphabet association.
My husband says, “Forget it; it will come to you.”
For him, it’s not an urgent symptom of impotency.
I feel an expanse of free-floating nouns
Searching for verbs.
I see pronouns and modifiers
With no one to attach to
And no place to go.
My children are without inheritance,
Left with longing.
Words are my life,
And I beg the Thesaurus in the sky:
“Do not fail me,
Come to me when I beckon,
Don’t make me lose time,
Wondering what you are,
What you mean,
Where you went,
Who I am.”
My thoughts exactly, Andrea. Thank you for articulating this for me.
I just read Words Are My Life. by Andrea Simon – I sit here trying to put into words how I feel after reading it :
At times I can’t remember what I was about to say, or a word won’t come to me that would finish my thought– It was comforting to read and beautifully written.
So glad I know you and your “works”!!! Wonderful poem/essay Andrea and I am not into poems. Novels, yes. Glad I know you- smiles – Mary
Ps hi Big sister.
OMG! That is a gorgeous, wonderful, oh so moving poem. Beauty on the page, straight from your mind and your mouth.
Dear Andrea
The written word does not come easy for me, I mull it over, rewrite it multiple times, research what other people have written and that is just for a greeting card. I marvel at your talent, you are an inspiration. Thank you for sharing your feelings and your words.
Wonderful poem…
The poet really captures the incredible importance of words in our lives….
It is lively, funny, and wonderfully down to earth.
I enjoyed every minute of this sweet poem!
Yes, the struggle is real. And here you’ve found just the right words to describe it!
Extraordinary expression of the struggle you have to express your thoughts and your self. Wonderful, genuine, genius and provoking intellectual emotions.
My English are poor but I hope that I expressed accurately my feelings.
Thank you for letting me have the privilege to enjoy it.
Thanks so very much Roulis. I really appreciate your kind words.