silence
when words would be better
words
when no safe ones exist
emotions
when all is begging for calm
calm
when intensity is needed

will it always be this faceted
stacked and balanced off balance
as oblique angles of opposites
fight for relevance

in a perfect world,
only safe words would be said
calmness would bring respite
emotions would morph into true feelings
and intensity would spark a revival

but until then
words will come out stumbling
never knowing for sure if they helped
or caused pain
and the ratio of intensity to calmnes
will never be exactly right.