Seven words, a comedian's quest,
to name the things the airwaves suppressed.
Not screams of hate, or lies that stung,
but syllables deemed wrongly hung
upon the public ear, so frail,
against a casual, vulgar trail.
He spoke them slow, each one precise,
a challenge thrown to censors' vice.
A list of sounds, devoid of might,
yet banned from screens both day and night.
A game of boundaries, absurd and strange,
where words held power, in a shifting range.
And laughter bloomed, a nervous sound,
as taboos crumbled on hallowed ground.
He questioned why, this verbal cage,
this fear of words upon the stage.
A mirror held to society's eye,
reflecting judgments, passing by.
Those seven words, now whispers free,
a legacy of liberty.
They stand as markers, stark and bold,
of stories that can now be told,
a reminder that the tongue, untied,
can speak its truth, with nothing to hide.
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Author:
Matthew R. Callies (
Offline) - Published: February 9th, 2026 07:33
- Comment from author about the poem: Inspired by George Carlin's "Seven Words You Can't Say on Television"
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 12
- Users favorite of this poem: Violet_Writes, Tristan Robert Lange
Offline)
Comments3
Such good rhyme and flow in this work. Nicely done. I remember well George's bit on this subject
Many thanks for the heads up on George Carlin. The Seven Words was fun, particularly with the subtitles - surely they must have almost run out of stops and brackets. But there's more to George C than seven words....
Your pin is a great tribute as well as, for me, an introduction.
Glad you enjoyed. And, yes, there's definitely more to George Carlin than Seven Words. If you continue down that rabbit hole, you'll begin to understand why most people consider him a philosopher rather than just a comedian. He doesn't just make you laugh, he makes you think.
I'd go along with that after only three vids down...
Thanks again.
Matthew, this is thoughtful and sharp, my friend. You carry humor and history together without losing either. The piece feels both playful and serious in all the right ways. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
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