As You Would Sticks

I pick up words

as you would sticks

And build them up

As though they're bricks

In this way,

I built a home

And carried on

To build my Rome

I gathered all

the words I could

And placed them where

The world once stood

Piece by piece,

I made it new

Then one day

I showed you

My castles burned

as did the sky

And word by word

My kingdom died

Even now,

I hum along

And sweep the streets

I grew up on

Sometimes there

Among the ash

I find a word

Tossed out like trash

I dust it off

And set it straight

And though it might be

Somewhat late

I build it up:

An altar to

All the words

And friends I knew

#poetry