I closed my mouth

and spoke to you in a million

different--

ways.

I prayed you would understand,

Find yourself figuring out

The silent plea

I made

And...

I ask too much...

I never told you

that I mastered the art

of speaking

without

sound--

I hoped would never have to...

But silence scares you

It quickens your pulse

Urges it to run

Just like

my words irritate your tongue

They urge it to move

To form its own thoughts

Before I can finish mine.

It never occurred to me

That communicating

Could ever be so complicated

Because in the end,

I only want us to connect

I only want us to understand

But we can’t

Not until I can understand you

Even when you don’t

Not until you can hear me

Even when I use

The language of silence.