Hush
I carry the secrets with me.
Recognize their faces.
And sometimes their smell.
This remains between us.
Outwardly, I walk tall, unshaken,
my voice sharp and my hands steady.
But under my ribs, it coils,
a trembling pulse that no one can see.
Keep your mouth shut.
I press my palm there in silence,
feeling it whisper through my bones.
Even smiles and laughter cannot hide,
the world’s eyes cannot reach.
The night might bring it back,
or not,
and maybe return to what I
sought.