Silence Falling by Ann E. Wallace
A succession of thumps
rapid, louder, then done
as body hits solid ground,
no shriek or howl
the silence
tells me it is
you who
hold tight to
the water glasses,
one in each hand,
that keep you from
breaking your fall,
but still, you let out
no shattering
cry as your body
tumbles
I know the sting
of unseen
bruises is kept
private
in days to come,
I know not to ask—
there’s nothing
to see, no
story to tell
but your sealed
lips lead me to wonder—
what muted
pain is
tucked deep
inside
of a girl
who does not
scream when
she falls?
"Silence Falling” is included in Counting by Sevens, a poetry collection by Ann E. Wallace, Main Street Rag (2019), available at https://mainstreetragbookstore.com.
Ann E. Wallace’s poetry collection, Counting by Sevens, is forthcoming in summer 2019 from Main Street Rag. Recently published pieces in journals such as Mom Egg Review, Wordgathering, Snapdragon, Rogue Agent, and Riggwelter can be found on her website AnnWallacePhD.com. She lives in Jersey City, NJ and is on Twitter @annwlace409.