Tainted

As children

We chanted

"Sticks and stones

May break my bones

But words will

Never hurt me."

But as we got older

We realised

That the more harsh words became

The weaker we became

And as humans

We are taught love

From an early age

But we are also taught anger

And fear

And words that were once kind

Are now

Forever tainted

And now we realise

The sticks and stones

May break our bones

But words will eventually

Kill us