The Bottom Shelf Review

i learned early
how to be quiet
not just with my voice,
but with everything
else.

to swallow words
before they became
real problems,
like the time i almost said
that hurt
but didn’t.
real to anyone
but me.

to smile
at the right times,
counting until i could stop
like nothing was wrong
with it
going unseen.

there are things
i never say aloud,
not because i can’t

but because
no one ever

asked.