The sword,
arrows,
and spears
of the tongue

cause
the hardest wounds
of all
to heal.

Those inflicted
by strangers
with time can disappear,

but the ones
from those we love
can linger for years—

maybe even a lifetime
in our hearts.

Causing us
to go through life
wounded in spirit,

never to be free
from the pain
of their injuries.

Leaving us scarred,
having no recourse

to reconcile

and argue
with them

to once again

regain our dignity

from those
who have passed on
to eternity.

Yes,
of all the wounds
inflicted upon me,

it’s the one
from the tongue

that has caused
the worst

of all
my injuries.










© 2026
Arthur E. Knowles
All Rights Reserved