,please listen to my silence!

Understanding My Silence

by Katie

If you don't understand my silence,
You won't understand my words.
My silence shows a quiet nature,
A soul trying to be free with the birds.

My silence shows the fear of messing up,
Of saying the wrong thing.
It shows that I was scared of speaking,
Of having to feel that sharp sting.

The sting of getting yelled at,
When everything you do seems to be wrong.
Of being punished for asking a question,
I guess I'm just not that strong.

The teachers all stare in wonder,
Asking why she says naught a word.
But they just don't understand.
What I need most is to be heard.

Yet nobody I have met seems to listen,
To listen to my silence and understand.
Instead I think inside of myself,
Not ever raising my hand.

Not even my friends understand my silence,
They ask, "Why did you not join in?"
I just respond that I had nothing to say,
While my soul is bursting within.

I'm trying to overcome this fear,
This overwhelming fear of being wrong.
Yet it's still with me everyday,
Disrupting the world where I belong.

I won't tell anyone of my childhood,
Where I was punished for being incorrect.
Yet the teachers all think I'm quiet on purpose,
But I really mean no disrespect.

My silence is so much more then they think,
My silence could fill up books.
These dark Grey eyes take up much more,
Then they will ever think to look.

Please try to understand other's silence,
Look beyond just a quiet girl.
Perhaps she's not just a shy, quiet person.
Their mystery might just be unfurled.