Sticks & Stones | Teen Ink

Sticks & Stones

August 21, 2012
By shimmering_stars GOLD, Fowler, Michigan
shimmering_stars GOLD, Fowler, Michigan
10 articles 0 photos 14 comments

"Sticks and stones
may break my bones
but words can never hurt me.
Break my spine,
but I won't mind
if kind words desert me.”
What a lie-
a dumb disguise
that everyone accepts.
Does no one know
the hurts we stow
deep within our chests?
No wonder life
is filled with strife-
true weapons are our tongues.
We slander and twist
using words as our fists
never caring what we’ve done.
I feel it now
and wonder how
our inner wounds can heal,
When every day,
a cruel display
of word-knives never yields.
Who's to blame?
Life's not a game
of twist-and-tear-the-heart.
Yet we use our words
to pierce and hurt-
A sickly game of darts.
Why all this pain?
What is to gain
from breaking hearts for thrill?
Sticks and stones
might break my bones,
but only words can kill.


The author's comments:
I wrote this poem at a time when I was struggling with a broken friendship. As cliche as it may sound, words can bring the worst pain-- pain that stays buried in our hearts.

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on Aug. 29 2012 at 8:42 pm
wind_andthe_rainy PLATINUM, San Francisco, California
25 articles 0 photos 11 comments
I agree with you 100%. this saying has always bothered me for the same reasons. will you check out some of my work?