Forbidden Words - Judith Stone

[Larry Robinson]

Forbidden Words

The Word Posse has rounded them up and lassoed them.
It has tied bandanas around their mouths; shut them up in word jails, 
and in administrative lock-up. They will not see the light of day!
They have been barred them from the lexicon of our thought.

They are washing out our mouths with soap, yet
 there is not a four-letter word among them!

They are tying our tongues in knots!
Can your hear the police speed those lawbreakers 
Into dead letter files, or Black Sites?
Their terrible influence has to be stuffed down
our throats to strangle us, to wipe the silly grins off
our faces. The sound of them will never again
emerge from under our hats! They are to be
shot on sight. You better not, better not shout:
Vulnerable, or Transgender, or Fetus
Or Science–based, especially Evidenced-based.
No Diversity, no Entitlements., and what about
Global Climate Change?  Is it next?

We hear you, but we will not keep silent. We will call in 
armies of words in pussy hats, saying  “Me Too.”
We will keep them all on the tips of our tongues;
giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitations. And Rosa Parks
and all the black women, and men, like William Barber
will lead white women and men, to join in and say them!
And Linda Sartor, Gloria Steinham and Jim Wallis
will keep them like scripture and memorized poems.
There is so much we know by heart. The whole 
oral tradition, the sound of songs, nursery rhymes
echoing in the everyday streets of our lives. 
Even Joan Baez, Bob Dylan,  and U2 will be playing
or rapping with the Millennials,  and voting with them. 
The answer my friends is blowing 
with the wind of them, on the many roads

and marches, until every street resounds 
with their un-rhymed offensive possibilities.

	- Judith Stone