Wednesday, October 1, 2014

On Being Silenced


When I was in my thirties I wanted to write the truth about everything, no matter how painful.  And it was important that I did write and share.   Now that I’m in my sixties, that is not so interesting to me.  I want to write more about the sound of the dry leaves falling from the trees on this warm early fall day, about being still and listening.

On Being Silenced

Am I the only one whose husband has had an affair?
or am I the only one talking about it?

my husband did have an affair
and while it was going on
I wrote about it
I wrote the truth
the whole truth

and then I shared it
shared it with everyone
every chance I got

and you know what happened?
I don’t think he liked it very much
that I did that
that I shared my poetry

how interesting, I thought
and I said,
but, darling, have you done something you’re ashamed of?
after all,
you expected me to handle it
certainly you can handle my
simply
writing poetry about it.
©1983

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