Truth

Speaks in silence,
In the hush before dawn,
Within the pause as I turn the page
Amongst the grainy feel
Of the wall.

My truth is
A lasso around my neck
Threatening to choke
If not allowed to be free
For I would drown
Deep within sorrows pain
If I didn't speak out
And let the truth reign.

My truth shall not hurt thee
As unbelievable as it be,
For my truth and yours
Are not brothers be

Your father was not mine.
Mother bore you
Yet, not quite I
Separated at birth
Unadoptable waif
Swept under rugs,
Into corners,
Stuffed in closets,
Buried within shoes,
Toward the toe
But always a heel.
A sole in a world
Of bare feet, barebacks,
And dad reads the paper
Next to the ashtray,
The Marlboros, lit,
Smoking, ashing
Here, ashing there,
Snuffing out the butt
Onto his daughters chest.
It burned
No one cried
Foul
Or
Stop.

Truth
Is an ever smoldering flame
Extinguished
Rendered harmless, inert
Only with the telling
Dare she
Find words?

Let the child scream, man
Just let that child wail and scream,
She's suffering in dare
She be sufferin'
Oh my Lord