Thursday, April 15, 2021

there are different kinds of screams

evidently there are different
kinds of screams.
                             they tell stories;
how we move through the world,
the way the sound enters
the ear, fires the limbic system,
imbeds itself in the brain.
perhaps there’s something there –
that first scream after birth
silent, sometimes without air,
fighting our way into the light,
our entire body bearing down
upon the fear.
                       what is this new thing?
what is there here beyond heat
and the dull throb of heartbeat,
the muffled voices and
elastic stretch of membrane
and skin taut with promises,
the constant eruptions of sound,
how we communicate
    each moment:
the howl of existence,
raging against each interruption,
the surprise of joy, rapture
lifting us into song, and silence;
ruptures, and how we are bowed
by weight, curling in upon ourselves
until we find the words
to move out of our bodies
                                          once again.
 
use your words, we are taught,
but sometimes they are not enough;
or there aren’t enough words,
or there are too many.
it’s okay if there are no words
                                                 right now –
eventually you will find them.

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