Last Words

What was the last thing you said aloud?

The last words you spoke aloud ~

did they lift another’s mood?

Or were they barbs and insults,

continuing a feud?

 

Did you tell a hurtful joke,

or make a rude remark?

Was the last phrase that you uttered

negative and dark?

 

Spoken words have power,

they can echo through the years.

What will your voice reverberate

in your last receiver’s ears?

Author's Note

"Once the toothpaste is out of the tube, it's awfully hard to get it back in." - H. R. Haldeman

Reviews

[Pete Langley]

This has so much resonance on so many levels, Rita. Superb philosophical verse. P.

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, Pete!

[Cassie]

Wow!!! This is one of the best poems I have read, I love the message in it and it is so true, thank you for sharing so beautiful words that have a deep message in them. Good one Rita

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you so much, Cassie!

[The Mutterer]

Very good! I like the message you are putting across, it really makes one think. Nice job :D

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, Mutterer!

[Sharon L.H. Kelly]

Nice flow and message. Well done!

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, Sharon!

[Troy Henson]

Words spoken depending on the mood can have such a dramatic ringing is ones ears. Not always bad but not always good either. Good old foot in mouth syndrome comes to mind here.
Well written piece with great imagery.

Regards
Troy

[Rita L. Sev]

Exactly - for good or for bad, our words remain. Thank you, Troy!

[Aethereal]

This poem has a wonderful message. I enjoyed the flow of ideas within this poem as well as your rhyme. I was inspired to use some of your words to write another version which you may keep as your own since so much of your creativity is in it. It used /0/0/0/ seven syllable meter rhyme overlapping /0/0/ five syllable meter rhyme:



Echoes of Negation

Did those last words that you said
lift another's mood,
or were they, barbs causing dread,
harboring a feud?

Did you tell a hurtful joke,
or a rude remark?
Was that last phrase that you spoke
sadly crude or dark?

Those words that you loudly state
echo through the years.
Guard your words. Don't castigate.
Don't turn smiles to tears.

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, Aethereal.

[richom]

Wonderfully rhymed and meaningful. The old adage that "sticks and stones can..." is completely wrong. Words do hurt and all of us would do better to bite our tongues.

[Rita L. Sev]

Yep. The good news is that words can be wonderfully uplifting, too... Thank you, Rich!

[SteveB]

Well done! Lovely rhyme scheme that to my ear had a Kipling quality. I particularly enjoyed how the last stanza changed it from the immediate last words to the ultimate last words. Brava!

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, Steve! Very much appreciated!

[Will Neill]

Oh my! how ever so true Rita, I liked this.
Will

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, Will - I appreciate it!

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

I love this work Ms. Rita it is really true, been in this situations before and choice of words is important in communicating, love the piece and it is stunning.

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you so much, Marc!