Words thrown like daggers
From an icy tongue
As we dodge the blade
That bares our name
As it nicks our arms
And pierces our hearts
And blood runs down
In crimson trails
Like precious ruby
Tears.

Words wielded like whips
From a schemer’s tongue
As we run from the snake
That slithers and hisses
As it waits for the moment
And it strikes us down
And our hands grow cold
In frozen sorrow
Like we are already
Dead.

Words fired like bullets
From a metal tongue
As we stand there quietly
And wait for the pellet
To gleefully puncture
Our hardened hearts
And add to the pain
That is constantly there
Like a dire second
Skin.

Words brandished like swords
From a polished tongue
As we shield ourselves
From the wicked edge
That cuts our flesh
And makes gashes like gorges
That turn into canyons
Then cracks in the sidewalk
Like they were never really
There.

Words shot like arrows
From a bowman’s tongue
As they pierce our
Heads and arms and hearts
And salty tears
And blood and sweat
Run down our stony, solemn faces
In cascades of hidden anguish
That keep us up at night
Like waking
Nightmares.

Words stabbed like knives
As we deflect the sharp point
That comes hurtling towards us
Out if thin air
As it misses our skin
And goes straight to our souls
And reminds us
That we will never be good enough
No matter how hard we
Try.

Words thrown like a lifeline
From a hero’s tongue
As they tell us to stay strong
And we grab onto the raft
That will save us from drowning
In the words they have said
Like weapons from their tongues
As they stab us
And beat us
And through it all, we try to keep
Afloat.

Words whispered like prayers
From a gentle tongue
That tries to erase the pain
As it coaxes and praises with a soothing voice
That sews back together the
Raw, scraped skin
And slowly mends our broken hearts
And helps us up from where we have fallen
With an outstretched hand that bears its own
Scars.