There is too much noise.
I want to scream, to yell,
Shut up, Shut up, Shut up
But my mouth is shut
A tight-pressed line keeping
A wildfire on the inside.

My heart is not in my throat
It is pounding too hard,
Secure in my chest,
No,
The weight at the back of my throat
Is not my heart.

My teeth are bared
Filled with the taste of dirt and pain
Of all the words I want to say.
Divinity has made a home in my veins,
It whispers
“Rip,
Tear,
Burn”
I wonder how far my bones can bend
Before they break.

Your petty apologies did not save you
Your threats of violence did not forsake you
You are lucky that I carry
The mercy of a mother in my soul.