Silence

I remember the days of silence

locked deep inside myself

terrified of rejection

humiliation

betrayal

I donned a mask of strength

and hid all of me behind it

locked it away

I began to become the mask

gradually forgetting who I was

losing myself entirely

until I forgot who I had ever been

an identity crisis

who was I

what was me and what was the mask

I had no answers

how could I be myself

when I no longer knew who I was

slowly I began to reach inside myself

discovering pieces of the person

I had once been

I learned to embrace the pieces I found

putting together the puzzle of my soul

I met the person I had locked inside

gave her permission to emerge

exploring the world around her

this stranger found her voice

first in a quavering whisper

later in a powerful shout!

encouraging, arguing, sharing

she expressed every part of her being 

with the reckless joy of a child

she shared her hopes, her dreams

she spoke anger

she spoke love

she spoke in words

she spoke in poems

she spoke for herself

and for those still without a voice

she spoke from morning until night

and even spoke in her sleep

fearing that if she stopped for even a moment

she would again be locked away

in silence