A wall of fog
Creeps over me
Slowly obliterating
My sense of
Reality
Of what is being
Talked about
Between you and the
Other
Am I on the
Outside
The opposite
Side
Unseen
My any word
Silenced
Memories come rushing
Back
I am a child
Again
To be seen
But not heard
As the saying goes
Words not my
Own
Whirling over my
Head
Land on me
At Grandmother’s
Every Sunday dinner
Table
My hair my hair
I’d sit mute
Listen to them talk
What to do with
My hair
But now
Am not that
Child
I am a grown
Woman
Who blamed you
For my need to be
Included
Turned the wall of
Fog
Into ice
Then blamed myself
Trying to melt the
Ice
That lingered in my
Heart
Sitting in silence
I say to myself
Grow up
Recognize accept
If you feel left
Out
You put yourself
There
All you have to do is
Speak
Find a pause
An intake of a
Breath
Then speak