When Silence Speaks Poem by Vanessa Alvarez

Every time I speak my mind,
The blame comes back, unfair, unkind.
I name the hurt, I voice the ache,
But somehow I'm the one to break.

I raise the truth, I try to heal,
Yet I'm the problem they all feel.
It turns to fights, it turns to shame,
And I'm the villain in their game.

So I go quiet, hold it in,
Let silence mask what lies within.
But even then, they point and say,
I'm cold, I've pushed them all away.

I'm tired of walking on this thread,
Of guilt for words I never said.
So now I speak in silent ways,
In guarded looks and distant gaze.

I'll deal alone, I'll stand apart,
Protect the pieces of my heart.
For peace is found when noise is gone—
And silence helps me carry on.