I Spoke a Word

I Spoke a Word

I spoke a word.

He was sitting in the back of the room.

There were 12 or so others there.

To most the word I spoke was true and innocent.

To him it meant war!!!

That word I spoke

Cut him.

I know not why

But I saw it cut.

I sought to take it back.

Then to modify it.

It was too late!

The word was like a freight train

I could not stop nor slow.

It took skill beyond my own

To mend the broken opportunity --

To put back together the damage done by my word.

To me it was just a descriptive word.

Still today I do not know what the word was.

To him it represented a conflict from the past

Come back to haunt. It brought back hard memories

Of conflicts discomfort, yes hatreds, from

Wars long since settled, -- but for him --

That word cut like a sword.

The word had a simple meaning to most

But a far different meaning to him.

Never assume a word has the same meaning to another as it has for you.

Billy R. Masten

02/16/10