Linguistic Politics

If only we weren't so bureaucratic!
If once or twice
we could say and intend what we mean!

If we lent to words their own independent existence!
Or, perhaps absurd,
created a Council of Words!

I wonder about salaries for words,
benefits and wages,
letting markets operate as they may.

Perhaps severance pay should be required.

This much I know: words manage to continue in existence
after years and years of abuse.

Does no one care we tend to treat words as our slaves,
use them any way,
even practice great verbal violence?

What if words should go out on a strike?
What would we do?

Can you imagine a world without words?

But, perhaps, we should continue in a whisper.
Words are terribly sensitive, you know,
and might protest.

We don't want to put any words down.
Sometimes a clown
is more seductive than the muzzle of a gun.

Or are these just words?