TONGUE UNTIED

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TONGUE UNTIED

There are a lot of weird tongues

In the animal world

Anteaters and woodpeckers have long useful tongues

That unspool and lap up their creepy crawly meal

There are forked tongues that quickly flick from between scaly lips

To taste the air

Sticky tongues of frogs whipping out to catch a bug in flight

Purple prehensile tongues of giraffes 

That grab high branches and strip off the tasty leaves

But of all the creatures on Earth with tongues

Only humans have tongues that can lie

That can deceive the unwary heart 

Tongues that can heal with gentle words of love

Tongues that can express the longing or beauty 

Contained within the swelling soul

Animals communicate in many ways

But only humans can use their tongues for 

Devilish destruction or heavenly comfort

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