Poetry

Word Churner

Posted on by Khaya Ronkainen / 42 Comments

“One kind word can warm three winter months.”
~ A Japanese proverb

Talking machine churns
And skips to the previous groove;
Rhetoric is broken

Churns the machine
Producing discord instead of sound;
A source of confusion

Word churner stirs
Audiences no longer interested
Put a lid on

For everyone has a word
But it’s layer of kindness that makes
A whole lot of difference.

, ,
Khaya Ronkainen
Khaya Ronkainen is a writer, poet and creative professional. Her blog focuses on all things poetry and creative nonfiction.

42 Comments

  1. ‘Put a lid on’ I wish I could do that to the harangues of politicos. The Japanese proverb and the last stanza are after my heart. So beautiful Khaya.

  2. “layer of kindness”
    When this is missing communication IS broken, though words are churned ceaselessly.
    A wonderful poem!

  5. Brilliantly written! Wonderful! I love this one Khaya.
    I see “Happy Baby Crow” on your side bar! I’m waving! LOL!
    Big Hugs!

  6. Can’t help but think of our political leaders – churning shallow words. I like the poem and the proverb too.

  7. Words are beautiful but they must be used carefully. We must be careful not to churn out our words thoughtlessly.

  9. ‘A layer of kindness’ is a beautiful phrase. I love the Japanese quote.

  17. Thanks dear, Stacy. And yeah, the “Happy Baby Crow” waves back. 😀 I shared the painting on Instagram for Valentines…Lol! Sending big hugs your way.

  25. The manner in which a single word is presented can make all the difference! Well said.

  29. Thanks Stacy. In Finland, Valentine’s day is equal to Friend’s day (Ystävänpäivä). That is, it’s not set apart for lovers only but inclusive of family, friends, neighbours, colleagues, and so forth. I find this a lovely way to show some love to important people in our lives. 🙂

  33. Word churners made me think about the soul scrolls in “A handmaid’s tale”… meaningless if not backed up by any sense… and actually praying without anyone listening or reading… empty words.

  34. Now why does that remind me of our politicians who churn out words, and words and words of rhetoric with little meaning and with little substance, words that never amount to anything, and definitely not a kindly deed to back them up!
    Wonderful writing, Khaya!

  36. Khaya, I love the Japanese proverb at the start of this post … and your poem elaborates how amongst all the words, often so meaningless, there is little of kindness! More hush, more thought can go a long way to rectifying this and yes, it does make such a difference to all of us. A thought-provoking poem with depth.

  37. Thanks Annika, I’m glad you find this piece thought-provoking. We live in stressful times. And with more communication nowadays happening via our screens, I believe a bit of kindness is much needed.

  38. True that, words are meaningless if not backed by any sense. I haven’t read Margaret Atwood’s A handmaid’s tale, but it sounds like a book I could enjoy.

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