i see

and feel
and stay quiet

i hear
and fear
and stay quiet

i think
and doubt
and stay quiet

my existence
is a constant silence

mouth shut, keeping

all in
(words, it’s always
words)

i hoard words,
bringing them close
letting them in
building a wall
imagining lives
i’ll never get to live

i thought you knew

—surely you should
for you claim to understand—
how my words
work