The words race in my head,

flow from my mouth

and pass by empty ears.

Sometimes I think nobody hears me

And I’m not so sure that I spoke.

There are times I fall inside my mind,

Retreat so far from your reality.

I yell until my throat burns for relief

Get an echo from the nothingness.

My screams bounce back silence,

Words swallowed and devoured,

Turned around and spit back out

Massacred and spoken in reverse.

My own voice taunts me with words

Never said from a mouth unmoved.

Eyes open and unseeing, smile now;

Teeth baring sight not seen loneliness.

Heard not with ears but chest and body

Sweet, shattered melody of your pain.

It speaks when words can’t converse

Mouth closed, misunderstood not heard.

One sound, different language and rhythm

Of course you can’t understand my tongue.