How the Silence Eats You Up

Poetry

biting your tongue has never been your strong suit,

but nowadays you feel you can’t say a word

without igniting a culture war-online or off —

to the point that you say nothing now.

but the silence is wrapped around your throat,

a necklace of needles ready to pierce you

with no thought to the consequences,

your vocal cords spun so tight they burn.

the worst is when you see a bad situation —

maybe someone being bullied or harassed —

and all you do is avert your eyes, not wanting

to cause a ruckus or make a scene.

but someday you will see something you can’t

ignore easily, and it will take every ounce

of courage you have to step forward and

keep the wrong from perpetuating.

“speak up,” they told you in school

as the other kids called you a mouse,

and maybe that’s fair enough because

look at the rat you have become.