Words

words have been used up

chewed up like gum

by lovely young mouths

have been turned into white balloons bubbles



diminished by politicians

they're used for whitening

teeth

and for the rinsing out

of mouths

in my childhood

words could be

applied to a wound

could be given

to the one you loved



now

diminished

wrapped in newspaper

they still contaminate still reek

they still hurt



hidden in heads

hidden in hearts

hidden under the gowns

of young women

hidden in holy books

they burst out

they kill





by Tadeusz Rozewicz (photo) translated from Polish by Bill Johnston