Barbed wire words

Prone upon the self-imposed celibacy of a narrow twin bed, I lie awake each night, tangled up in words that cling to me like bed sheets drenched in sweat. I peel them off my tender exposed flesh, yet their sour stench lingers, fouling any possibility of sleep.

In my insomniatic stupor I seek to inebriate them with the splendor of my words, but even in their drunkenness they cannot be dissuaded- until they disperse at dawn, leaving me alone, abandoned, interred in the irons of exhaustion.


Barbed wire words, hold 
captive more childhood dreams
than cold iron bars.

Thanks to Misky’s twiglet #116- cold iron bars and MLMM Photo Challenge #253 for the inspiration behind this piece which I am submitting as my entry on Colleen’s Tanka Tuesday Writers Choice.

39 thoughts on “Barbed wire words”

  11. I believe we all tend to think too much. With all the bombardments of everything that stimulates us it is a wonder we can rest at all. Vivid dreaming with nightmares is not much better I think than not being able to sleep at all. But then I tend to read murder mysteries for enjoyment… XD

    Hoping you can get a good nights rest, and maybe even some peaceful sleeping.

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  15. ” I like to think of it as painting with words…”

    I love writers who paint with words. I used to encourage my 1st and 2nd graders to do that. They actually became quite good at it. I once read of a plan to just teach the very most basic of vocabulary as it was not necessary to have more than one word for red. Where would we be without ruby, wine, and crimson? Dull to contemplate. I do get discouraged with the product of our educational system (USA), when most 18 to 30 year olds write reviews on a book they didn’t finish, and their main complaint is that the book was too wordy. They are the very ones who want illustrated novels and/or to watch the movie instead.

    Am I a rebel to rage against a system that produces unimaginative people who will replace me when I die?
    PS: May I share a link to your post?

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    • We are creating a society that expects to be able to say anything that needs to be said in 280 characters or less on twitter, eliminate the vowels on text messages and still be understood… what chance do these kids have at developing a vocabulary? I for one, love words and use as many of them as I possibly can, even within the word constraints of the prompts.
      I would be honored if you shared a link. So nice to meet you, Linda.

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      • Indeed, Lynda. “Disheartening” and “worrisome” are good words for how I too feel about it.. As is also “frightening”. I don’t make a fond habit of “Things were better in the good old days”. They mostly were the same or worse, so far as I can see. But here I believe a case can really be made for social and cultural decadence.

        I wonder where it’s going? Any ideas?

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    • I hear what you’re saying, Lynda and Violet! I used to frequent a forum where it seemed to me every third response to one of my posts revealed that the commentator had read no further than the post’s title.

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      • Disheartening, isn’t it Paul? I feel that if you can’t be bothered to read, and think about what you have read, then please don’t comment at all. This plethora of ‘low information readers’ is worrisome.

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  16. Pingback: Colleen’s 2019 #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge Recap No. 126, Poet’s Choice of Words – The Faery Whisperer ~

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