The Silent Screams

There are voices all around us Not loud, not obvious, But aching to be heard. Within this poem lies three unheard stories Three souls, each silenced by society A woman who smiles in fear. A boy punished for love. And a girl whose dreams shrink in the shadows. Their pain is different, But their silence is the same. This poem is for them For the unheard, the unseen, the unspoken. He smiles like an angel at parties But she flinches when he lifts his fork He cares for her like she's a flower Acting like he has never hurt her before She tried to speak, but her voice ran dry They smiled and said, "but he's so kind" They watched her, but never met her eyes And they believed her truths were lies His kindness curled around her throat His truths and lies began to blend His sweetness made her feel somehow That maybe she was the bitter end She tried to whisper, but the world was too loud, So she learned to survive without making a sound. They beat him, bullied him They treated him like a toy He got a treatment worse than death, Just for loving a boy What was his sin? That he dared to wear a dress? At the end of the day, He just wanted to be himself They laughed when he cried, Called his softness a flaw. He learned to shrink in every room, Afraid to break their law. He whispered, but the world was too loud, His truth drowned out by shame and crowd. Her heart said "Go chase your light" But her mind replied, "You will never soar" Her internal thoughts were at a constant war Her confidence hid behind a locked door They said no with every glance So she sat, while others danced Her dreams grew quiet, Her dreams grew small Her heart's voice was never heard at all Her heart whispered, but the world was too loud And alas, another voice got lost in the sound.