p. 14 | THE CARELESS WORD

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 23, 1868

THE CARELESS WORD.

'Twas but a word, a careless word; As thistle-down it seemed as light; It paused a moment on the air, Then onward winged its flight.

Another lip caught up the word And breathed it with a haughty sneer; It gathered weight as on it sped— That careless word—in its career.

Then rumor caught the flying word, And busy gossip gave it weight, Until this little word became A vehicle of angry hate.

And then that word was winged with fire, Its mission was a thing of pain, For soon it fell like lava drops, Upon a wildly-tortured brain.

And then, another page of life With burning, scalding tears was blurred; A load of care was heavier made, Its added weight—that careless word.

That careless word! Oh, how it scorched A fainting, bleeding, quivering heart! 'Twas like a hungry fire that scorched Through every tender, vital part.

How wildly throbbed that aching heart! Deep agony its fountain stirred; It calmed, but bitter ashes marked The pathway of that careless word.