Borrowed Words

Because of the battle of 1066**

Poetry is named and claimed

Not with gun or sword,

Off the tongues of new French kings—

Words Spoken over English ears

Conquering the mind

Because of the battle of 1066

Prayer is voiced and rejoiced

In occupied churches

Not with devotion or persecution,

Off the tongues of new French priests—

Words spoken over English ears

Converting the holy spirits

Because of the battle of 1066

Music is blown and owned

Not with breaking or locking instruments,

Off the tongues of new French Makers—

Words spoken over English ears

Conquering the hearts

Because of the battle of 1066

A conquering NOT with swords or guns

With new words spoken over new ears

May the mixology of spoken word

be wielded for the greater good,

greater understanding

May the new words serve to expand

our communication, our connections

May the Truth of poetry, prayer, music

ultimately be borrowed from places & spaces

beyond ALL words🌀

**battle of 1066 During this period, more than 10,000 loanwords from French entered the English language, mostly in domains where the aristocracy held sway: the arts, military, medicine, law and religion. Words that today seem basic, even fundamental, to English vocabulary were, just 800 years ago, borrowed from French: prince, government, administer, liberty, court, prayer, judge, justice, literature, music, poetry, to name just a few.