Don't Speak. Poem by Jennifer Reynolds

PART ONE.

Your mouth opens, and their ears perk as they await the sound of your voice. They prepare to hear something different
Something unfamiliar
Not necessarily unique,
But unwelcome.
You hold your head high
You breathe in.
Breathe out.
Speak.
The words pour out.
But they don't hear your words.
They hear your voice.

In your voice, they hear
FOREIGN
UNFAMILIAR
STRANGE

You shut your mouth.
You lower your gaze.
You regret it. You regret it. You regret it.
Who do you think you are?
You shouldn't be here.

You don't belong here.

PART TWO.

You can't stay silent forever,
You try again.
Your mouth opens, and again they await your voice.
Your forehead creases as you anticipate their haughty looks
Their judgmental gazes
Their poison.
And so,
You breathe in.
Breathe out.
Speak.
The words pour out.
But they don't hear your words.
They hear your voice.

In your voice, they hear

Don't speak-

FOREIGNER

Don't speak-

IMMIGRANT

Don't speak-

ALIEN

SHHHHH!

You shut your mouth.
You lower your gaze.
You regret it. You regret it. You regret it.
Who do you think you are?
You shouldn't be here.

You don't belong here.

PART THREE.

You can't stay silent forever,
Or can you?
Or can you?
Your mouth opens, and their ears perk up.
You breathe in.
Breathe out.
You stay silent.

They won't listen.

They don't care.

They don't hear you.

They don't see you.

You don't belong here.

When they hear your voice, they hear your foreign
They hear your flaw
They hear,
UNWELCOME
UNIMPORTANT
NOT AMERICAN
NOT AMERICAN
NOT AMERICAN

Don't speak.
Don't speak.
Don't speak.

I said, don't speak.
You don't speak.
I don't speak.

You nod. You listen to me.

I am after all,
You.

PART FOUR.

We don't exist.