I don’t know how to speak.

I can open my mouth I can breathe I can twist my tongue into syllables hush my lips to embrace silence bare my teeth to hiss

But I don’t know how to speak.

Do I dare offend do I dare hurt do I dare ignite do I dare desire do I dare care do I dare

Speak

There may be sounds gushing out of my mouth there may be ears twitching to my voice there may be nods responding to my questions but how do you just

Speak

How do you let the words crawl out so slowly that they sink into people’s bones, how do you let the words rip out so quickly that they leave singes on people’s clothes?

How do you speak speak speak so that people don’t just hear what you say but they hear

What you don’t say?