Anne Carson
I sincerely don't know how long this quote has been in my list; but I know it has been years. And only this week did it spark recognition with the author, because Anne Carson recently won the Nobel Prize for Literature. I have never read her work so am kind of surprised I had a quote of hers here. But it felt like a worthwhile time to attempt to interrogate it!
I think my response to this is about sharpness. That words can be sharp, and therefore painful. That you too, can be sharp, in your tone or in your actions or your words. So it feels like a bit of a warning. At the very least it feels like a reminder.
I am not sure of the context, but on reflection I look again at the word edges and think that edges don't have to be sharp. An edge can simply be an edge - the edge of the ocean, the edge of a tablecloth. So what then is an edge?
Could she be thinking about words having finite meanings? And we having finite limits? Could she think that words finish somewhere and go no further? That we as people have limits to what we can do and achieve?
On balance, I still think it feels like a reminder to take care with your words and your actions.
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