Words and What They Say by Scott Owens

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Words and What They Say
by
Scott Owens

Some say you can’t tell anything

from the language that people use,

that Eskimos in fact have no

more words for snow than we,

nor Anglo-Saxons more

for cut, stab, thrust,

and the fact that our words for animals

when we eat them, beef, pork,

poultry, all come from French

doesn’t prove they’re better

cooks or bigger carnivores,

any more than 23 acronyms

for laughter shows that texting

teens just want to have fun,

but when I hear my carful of 2^nd graders

from Sandy Ford Montessori School

making up names for the sun,

and the moon, and the stars that only

come out when you’re camping and the fire

goes out, and you turn off your flashlights

while your mother holds you in her arms,

I can’t help but believe

that not only is there hope for us all

but that the hope we have

is only really hope

when we can put it into words.

Scott Owens is the author of 20 collections of poetry and the recipient of numerous awards. Professor of Poetry at Lenoir Rhyne University and former editor of two poetry journals, he is the founder of Poetry Hickory, a monthly reading series. Scott's newest collection is ‘Round Here: Images from and Near Catawba County. He lives in Hickory, North Carolina, where he owns and operates Taste Full Beans Coffeehouse and Gallery.Learn more about Scott here.

tannerlynne:
thank you Scott for this poem, and yes thanks always to Jayne!
Posted 05/03/2013 09:19 AM

Scott Owens:
Thank you all for your kind comments and to Jayne for using this poem.
Posted 05/02/2013 06:46 PM

marenomitchell:
Lovely poem, Scott. New names make things new.
Posted 05/02/2013 04:05 PM

wendy morton:
Shouldn't we all be making up names for the stars, the moon?
Posted 05/02/2013 10:11 AM

paradea:
Why can't all parents be Montessori parents? Thank you, maestro!
Posted 05/02/2013 09:05 AM

Ralph Murre:
Beautiful glimpse into the stars that only come out when you're writing, Scott. Thank you.
Posted 05/02/2013 08:41 AM

dotief@comcast.net:
So beautiful, poignant and true!
Posted 05/02/2013 08:09 AM

erinsnana:
I love, love, love this poem! It makes me miss the days when my sons were small and I was a witness to their banter.
Posted 05/02/2013 06:54 AM

StaciBell:
Brilliant! I love Scott's poems, such talent with so much insight. Scott's words are a wonderful way to start my day
Posted 05/02/2013 06:52 AM

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