Breviloquence

Never usually a fan of new year resolutions, I for a change persuaded myself to take upon one at the start of 2020. Having learnt lessons the hard way on many occasions, where usage of words either excessive or inapposite, have landed me in trouble, I decided to make a conscious effort to exercise brevity wherever possible and let my actions do the real talking. The profundity of Thomas Jefferson’s immortal quote – “The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do” has been the cornerstone of my life this year, and I must say it has largely held me in good stead so far!

I haven’t taken a New Year resolution

For several years now

All those I took, ended up in dissolution

I reneged on every single one of them, I abashedly avow

 

This time around though, it is quite clear

That I will have to buck the trends

Due to what I have gone through the last year

For my own peace, I aim to make amends

 

As we break into a fledgling decade so young

I will, looking back, readily acknowledge

That, the problem always lied with my tongue

So this shall be my momentous pledge

 

That I shall talk less and more less

I have had too much trouble

Words have plainly added to my stress

Now I pick my pieces up from the rubble

 

It was construed as flattering, whenever I praised

When I spoke with sweet intonations, I was judged pretentious

People however viewed hostility, when my voice slightly raised

As even facts, I pointed out, turned out to be contentious

 

When I attempted genuine criticism

I was chided for being snarky

When I tried to sugar-coat, donning the hat of pacifism

I was asked to abandon the rot and talk turkey

 

I hardly managed to instill

Much impression, managing feeble attempts at humor

Neither did plain Jane talk help, making me run-of-the-mill

Stuff, but I nonetheless drank it all without a murmur

 

This year, I resolve to mellow down my spoken word

Seek I shall, the tempering help of many an experience

A tough task lays ahead, and I hope to continue undeterred

As the theme of my year will be breviloquence

 

I resolve to not fall prey

To any ways, shapes or forms of animadversions

Or unintended bouts of lapsus linguae

Which cause me to cast aspersions

 

Wherever possible, a reverential nod shall suffice

As long it achieves it’s communicational motto

Though it may take people by surprise

Largely to silence, in the coming twelve months, I will kowtow

 

I will largely speak through smiles

And remonstrate through tears

Abandoning my animated reviles

While I shall express only what are truly my arrears

 

Emotions will run high in Twenty-Twenty

But my eloquence I will not fritter

Verbal statements, waiting to be spoken are aplenty

So neither will I turn a quitter

 

I aim to eschew admonishments courtesy free flowing verse

While against no one I hold any malice

I hope to win the world through words succinct yet terse

By spilling a few nectar drops time to time from my golden chalice

 

On paper rather than speech

Through poetry, my pearls of wisdom I will reserve

For this medium is more conducive for my outreach

To people, those who truly deserve