Words, words,
hanging from the clothes-line
like sheets, like towels, like pillowcases,
hanging outside, out there, in the rain,
dripping, dripping, dripping from the line,
from the sentence, from the meaning,
dripping from the mouth
onto the floor, the shirt, the paper,
making stains that cannot be removed.
Words without definition,
like dribble, like courage,
tiny and insignificant,
seeking attention,
splitting hairs,
splitting headaches,
splitting sentences,
falling to the ground like dead leaves
crushed underfoot,
crumbled into dust
and blown away, away,
away into silence.
Jay Frankston
