silence is safest
one might think
but somehow wrong every time
so how do I wire my mouth shut
and stop the tears from streaming
the voices in my head are back
and it takes all I have
to keep from crumbling
nothing I say is ever correct
or enough
or appropriate for the context
yet when I say nothing at all
somehow it is so much worse
like an upright stone wall
towering over the heartache
and platitudes
reaching around in the brain
that beheaths you
twisted tortured battered beaten
bloody evil that warps even the
light that may touch it
treating it akin to the sun laying
burning bright red hot flames
etching forever
branded squandered forlorn
passion left scattered in ashes
what would it take to
disappear completely?
words wrung dry choked back
sandpaper throat
asphyxiated by a tongue ripped out
cut loose
lips sealed tightly
plastered wax thin contentment in place
dull sullen retinas slightly haunting
lobotomize the impending doom
impeding the hope desperately trying to break through
pray for the day dust may beget dust
drowning out the screaming
permanent stay inhabitants
silenced forevermore
silence may finally speak the loudest truth
hell is other people
walking through fire
licking at the backs of heels
the devil deceptive and cunning
draped in trickery
expertly orchestrating
with delicate design
the playground we must die to escape from
Scattering Ashes Everything, Everywhere, All at Once 