Be careful what you say:
the tongue is a bullet.
Every day,
for its words light as feathery down,
sewn…
to the inside of your cheeks.
A nest,
from which the punch springs.
A spell like none other.
Mea seava incantatum,
for little birds:
little souls,
with sharp beaks,
agile wings,
with cruel intent-
purchasing such violent things.
Or worse…
to speak a tragic truth:
send an old heart to grave;
or pluck a young heart out of youth.
Old white-breasted crow for a prophesy,
standing majestic,
over the now-green once-battlefield,
where the innocent now play.
Be careful what you say.
Be careful what you say.
Be careful what you say.
Glossary:
“Mea seava incantatum,” is Latin for ‘My cruel spell.”
Charl Landsberg is a South African poet, artist, musician, and activist working for LGBTQIA+ rights, feminism, and antiracism. Their work often focuses on fantasy and science fiction or sometimes just the strange.