If I could talk
If I could tell you everything I’ve seen
I could tell you stories you would never want to believe
No one knows what I have seen with my all-seeing eyes
No one is alive to tell the secrets I’ve overheard
I’ve seen little pieces of heaven and little pieces of hell
I’ve heard whispers of love and screams of hatred
I’ve seen love spoken to one and given to another
I’ve heard even breathing and then footsteps leaving
How hard it is to watch a life end,
How hard it is to watch a love grow cold,
How hard it is to listen to a heart-shattering cry,
How hard it is to bear witness to these images
And be unable to speak one word.
You will never hear from me.
My mouth is shut but my eyes and ears are forever open.
It’s a curse to be able to stand so tall, so straight, so strong
To bear the weight of the world
To hold the roof over the murder’s head and be unable to break
To shelter the demons of the world and separate the angels
I cannot tell you whom exactly I’ve seen.
I cannot tell you what exactly I’ve heard.
But if walls could talk
I would.
D, love this. Your images are crisp and stark. I would to know what you have heard and seen. Powerful. Well done.
ReplyDeletelove-bd
well desi you surprise me more and more every time you write a poem i can visualize it and or feel what you describe
ReplyDeleteif only, it's certainly easy to imagine all these events but harder to accept
ReplyDeleteYour use of language and imagery is very strong and powerful. I enjoyed reading this poem.
ReplyDeleteGreat piece - each line draws another image - great!
ReplyDeleteTo bear the weight of the world
ReplyDeleteTo hold the roof over the murder’s head
What a powerful testament to a silenced witness!