Of Hearing

Ears devour idle talk like snapping beasts,
never gaining grounds,
though ever collecting evidence.

Here, a bit of pat-on-the-back prejudice is skillfully set,
Here a moment of weakness descries the weaknesses of the speaker
Here, a Painful grimace gives way to broken laughter.

The hallway gleams in empty revelation,
Rough walls caress the rogue syllables of the spoken word
gouged and beaten wooden doors throw forth their plaintive creaks and
slam indignant on packed classrooms.

The eavesdropper, a glaring regent on his sunken concrete throne,
knows that his seemingly colorless eyes cannot go forever unnoticed.

Erich Campbell

| Back to the Wordcraft | Site Map |