I wrote your vengeful words on a torn scrap of paper, folding it into four corners to hold in the strictures, then tucked it into an old, musty book. The one that sits on a high shelf, never read, just gathering dust and losing its memories.
Plaguing my weary mind, I muted their chittering demands for release. Hidden away, ignored but not forgotten, so the black germs of your contagion wouldn’t continue to infect my spirit.
I should have burnt your words, destroying each one forever. Still I hoard them, keeping them within reach, to someday return them back to you.
*Photo venue: The stacks at Niceville Library, Niceville, FL
Thin spiral notebook 
hurtful words hurt no matter how far away we tuck them – if we hoard, we hurt longer. I feel ya.
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We can never cast our memories aside, words written or said forever imbedded in our heads, they are a constant. Even if they were to be burnt…we would still remember them…even more so the hurtful ones.
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Enjoyed that turn at the end, and the overall idea of hiding away words, but keeping them close to turn them back on the one who made them. Nice!
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It’s the words that have power. The darker the words, the more power they have. You caught that exactly. Nice job.
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This rings so true! We cannot erase those hurtful words-written or verbal-where they are “tucked”, they haunt us & catch us by surprise, tripping us up at vulnerable moments! Loved this very emotionally resonant piece Tara-you sure have a way with words & I will be surprised if this piece does not win, you sure have my vote:-)
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wonderful way of expressing the irony of belief in the spirit not being infected when out of sight has not been put out of mind, even hopeful of being in a period of respite before revenge gets its day.
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Mmmmm all that revenge building up for the right moment. Also love their chittering demands for release. And what a hold words on paper can have. Nice one, Tara!
Oh, and your name on the spine of the book is priceless!
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If only there were a way to erase spoken words! Usually, I want to tae back something I’ve said as opposed to something said to me.
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This is great! The last paragraph got me thinking…I’ve tried the burning route, but in my memory, the words aren’t destroyed.
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Your photo reminds me exactly of the library in my town when I was growing up. And your words remind me a bit of that time as well. Nicely done.
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