The Turn of a Phrase

 I wrote this poem earlier this morning and it has rather stunned me!  We were in the process of getting an affidavit signed, when it occurred to me that the most important phrase in the document was very old and that it had a lot of history attached to it.

I am still working on this piece.....changing the odd word here and there, trying to get the rhythm just right.  This is a process that will continue for some weeks to come.

The Turn of a Phrase
by
Tom Roach

there is a phrase
the sound of which
transports my mind
to nether regions
of our written history

i ask myself
how many men and women
have espoused these words
and
with what degree
of real sincerity

what consequences
hung upon their saying
how many lives
ended or continued
on their statement

what were the fortunes
made or lost
marriages arranged
or broken
children found
or lost forever

how many times
have two people
stood and looked
intently at each other
and then
one was heard to speak:
I make oath and say.....