Silence Poem by Rachel Bari

My thoughts are painful
They strain against the barriers of conditioning

My smile is mockery
They are evil, lampooning the serenity around

My words wound
' Ripping and tearing, blood oozing out

My body recoils
And then relaxes to flex again anew

This is routine
It is easier now than then, when young

When the wind blows
The body knows and braces to weather

No longer a slender reed
The body bends to accommodate and reject

Words correct themselves
The tongue has a will, talks to the body

The smile is serene
Knowing all, the disinterest and disdain clear

The thought slithers
To hide, waiting for the venom to release itself