small words escape with least breath,
ride a wave of exhalation, carry
over the air to tickle the cilia
within your ear, and you hear
the intent, their meaning

resonance,
the ability to vibrate
sympathetically,
hypothetically
empathetic

big words,
long drawn breaths
that capture ideas,
a stream flows
between two minds

obfuscation,
the ability to blur
communication,
words gobbling words,
lexical cannibalization

a kiss, a touch,
a moment pure
in silence,
a single meaning
in the coupling

clarity,
the ability to love,
life, people peopling,
the world at large
so small

in the face of creation,
small words hint,
imply intent,
infer why we are
at all

Chagall 2020