It is hard to speak,
But account for the energy expended
Clinching holy lips together,
fighting back the captive words.
They wish to storm the walls,
Escape their prison,
Over razor-wire fences
they long to go
To flee through the murky woods,
Just ahead of swinging lantern light,
While adventurous bluegrass music plays the soundtrack that the bloodhound sings along with.
They wish to escape, these words,
From the prison of your mouth.
This obvious desire makes the guards antsy.
They demand effort,
These things you do not say.
Both of us strain,
To speak and hear by silence,
I exegete the void
where your word should be
You pretend not to notice,
and both of us
work so very hard
To let the silence have dignity,
Even if it be the dignity of being.
(misunderstood)
There is so much to say,
I don’t know if I have the energy,
or the nonvocabulary,
To keep all the silences you demand.
I so badly want to know and believe
That the truth is not your enemy.
But, I suppose
you have your reasons.
I have mine, you know.
