Words: a Poetry post

Do you do any of those photo challenges on Instagram? I used to do it more than I do now, but I still take part in the So Good in Every Way fortnightly themes (sometimes), and the Snap Happy Britmums daily prompts (again, sometimes).

Todays prompt was words, and I was sitting in my kids' school this morning, waiting to help out with walking a bunch of kids to another school, and thinking about how the rhyme, 'sticks and stones' has changed as schools have become more cognicent of the long term damaging effects of verbal bullying. When I was a kid we taunted bullies that words would never hurt me. My own eating disorder, other self harming, and so much other stuff can testify to the nonsense of that.

Now my kids are taught the rhyme 'Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can really hurt me.' and it's true. Physical violence is rubbish, but we should never underestimate the long term harm of verbal violence. Hence my poem today. It's almost a villanelle but totally a poem.

Words

Sticks and stones may break my bones
but words can really hurt me,
make me small and all alone.

These small things you may condone
can stick around to haunt me.
Sticks and stones may break my bones

Don't leave me all on my own
I need you to support me
I am small and all alone

Words can linger though they're thrown
like careless blown confetti.
Words themselves won't break my bones
but make me feel all alone

Ⓒ Cara L McKee 23/3/17

This poem is for Britmums, for all they do to support us and bring us together, and for my children's school, and is against bullying.

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