What's in a word?

What's in a word we may ask.

Mere squiggles and syllables.

dried leaves falling from the tree of meaning.

And yet in a word is concealed

all our dreams, hopes, fears and sorrow.

Want, have, loss, despair

Words of desire, of need, of hunger; hunger that sustains.

Flames of a summer sun subsisting on our souls.

Love, courage, glory, peace

Words of fire, of inspiration, of flight; flight to the beyond.

Winds of a golden autumn that carry our eager wings.

Worry, fear, disease, turmoil

Words of darkness, of affliction, of malaise; malaise that strengthens.

Wintry words that rasp against our helpless souls.

Pain, tears, sorrow, silence

Words of the river, of growth, of cleansing; cleansing the unstained.

Monsoon's showers that hurt and heal our parched minds.

Seek, know, become, be
Words of hope, of promise, of deliverance; whatsoever deliverance is.
Buds of a spring that we might never see.

Words bloom, words wither and words die.

We are the illusion.