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Three Poems by JD DeHart: "Words of My Mouth", "Multi", and "Builders"

Words of My Mouth

I have been taught

to let my words

be acceptable, these

arbitrary curlings of ink

and sound,

why would I shape them

to offend?

Why would I take the gift

of language and sharpen

it to bring

pain?

Let the words of my

mouth, the thoughts of my

mind, be pleasing

and acceptable in your sight.

Builders

There are those who

break bones and spirits

with whispers in dark

corners. I want to be one

who binds broken places.

There are those who

perpetuate walls and barriers,

who dig holes and trenches

with unkindness, but I want

to find the verbs that make

bridges hold fast.

Multi

You come from there,

I come from here, your history

shapes you, as mine shapes me,

you have your values,

they are probably not unlike mine.

We value life and truth

and reason and beauty.

So let the perceptions be

reconsidered, let us interrogate

our thinking, and join where

we can, be at peace where we

can, let life progress where it

wants and lay down swords.

 
JD DeHart

JD DeHart is a writer and teacher. He has two projects available at Origami Poetry.

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