For The Soul's Own Song Poem by Patti Masterman

One must collect words

if one wishes to write convincingly;

concrete words like plasticine, Neanderthal,

abstract words like meme, sacerdotal.


Proper nouns; Desdemona, Hildegard.

Teeth-gnashing words like gnostic, gnaw-

one suspects Gnosticism became less popular

when the teeth were ground too raw.


Words with hidden lightning- sleep-

like zenith, zither, zephyr, zepellin.

Hungry words, somnolent, narcissistic;

onomatopoeias- honk and beep.


Power-house words; Nimrod, Agamemnon.

Dumb-with-hunger words like famish, faint.

Words with special meaning for only two,

words with irony or outright angst.


Words we meant, when other words went wrong.

Words we lent, for the soul's own song..