Utterly confused, I knelt down to see...
As I picked each of them up, I was startled, because they began to speak to me.
Wisdom screamed, "I cried out in the streets and men glared and walked by me... I stood at their gates, hoping to cross their path, but men just ridiculed me and laughed. Ha, it is true that foolishness makes those who once loved grow cold and hard as stone..."
Beauty whispered, "I always gently glance... I know that I am overwhelming, but I can't help but stare because I see myself in those nearby, but Jealousy told them to kick me and wickedly lie... I just wanted them to really know me. I have so much I want to share and give, but women in particular look at me with livid disgust and hate..."
In my hand, there was one precious word that wrapped around my finger, and its tears fell through the crevices onto the ground...
Hope wept deeply, " My story is a bit different than theirs, but still the same; men and women actually took me to their homes; they feed me and spoke sweetly to me...
They used to laugh and smile!
They even hoped with me!
...and then they changed!
Men flogged me...
Women raped me...
They threw me out onto this street..."
In my peripheral, I saw something leaping and waving its arms, so I quickly picked it up...
Joy smiled and then became stern, "Maybe it's because I am too bubbly! Yeah, maybe that's it. People like me to be around so they can feel good, happy, whatever you want to call it...
...but then they start to exclude me as if I'm annoying them. I see them around and I wave, but they hang out with new friends, Jealousy and Despair, and tell me I am not wanted around anymore..."
I squinted my eyes, because there was a word stuck in the gutter. I placed it in my hand and water dripped off of it; this word shined even brighter... ...It was quiet, and all of the others words stopped to listen to what it had to say.
"I have been around here for a very long time... ...I saw when the streets were new and then suddenly destroyed. I watched as men rebuilt walls only for them to be torn down in war. When I speak, people get quiet, but I always need hope to stand by me, so that what I say can be lasting..."
This healing word was so familiar and all the other words looked at it with honor and awe...
Suddenly, the wind whistled sacred, ancient melodies to me!
"Peace I leave with you... ...peace I give you."
It chanted over and over again to me.
This wildly whistling wind took up each shiny word from my hand, and rushed in...
...as each word began to descend into my inner world, I felt everything inside of me change and whirl!
I abruptly woke up and pondered...