The Power of Words (Revised)
Imagine,
you’re in your favorite chair,
thinking about that time you pantsed that guy,
and suddenly you chortle
and beer runs out your nose.
There’s a word for that… chortle,
coined by Lews Carroll in the poem “Jabberwocky,”
a blending of “chuckle” and “snort.”
I can see you chortling as I speak.
Can you see yourself chortling?
Do you see the beer running out your nose?
Do you feel the beer running out your nose?
Sooner or later you will start to chortle,
you will see the beer,
you will feel the beer
and you will smile because
smiling is good for you
because smiling makes you
even more attractive
than you are now,
so smile awhile as we
continue down this country lane.
Anyway,
we’re speaking words here,
ones I’ve written down,
and I’m speaking them to you
and, fundamentally,
it’s changing your consciousness
a little bit. That’s the way it works.
Some words capture your attention and some
words are noted and recorded
in your unconscious mind
and some words can lead to pictures in your mind.
That’s how words work.
That’s just the way things work.
Play pretend with me.
Pretend you can hear the thoughts
of the person next to you.
What would that be like
if you could hear the thoughts
of the person next to you?
Sooner or later you will hear those thoughts.
Already I can hear your thoughts.
It’s so easy to hear your thoughts.
And now a gentle breeze begins to weave,
its secrets shared in whispered leaves.
Whispers shared in leaves entwined,
these thoughts of yours, these thoughts of mine.
Now breathe the scent of moss and pine,
and let your heart begin to shine
Whispers shared in leaves entwined.
I know what you’re thinking.
And I know what I’m thinking.
I’m thinking what’s it like to be a chicken.
To rise and shine with the sun,
to hang out with the flock,
to relish a daily dust bath,
to lay an egg or two
while nestling in for the night
dreaming of one day crossing that road
so you can finally get to the other side.
I’m thinking, who in this room
would like to be my chicken?
Pinkie promise you‘ll love being a chicken.
You’ll be my very own chicken and I’ll help you
get across that road you keep obsessing about.
Raise your wings if you’d like to be my chicken.
