Because I dared to speak a word,
my mother filled my mouth with soap
until I vomited, but some still slipped past
to scrub clean my insides, imbue them with bitterness.
My tongue has learned thousands of words
but it still can't forget the taste
of shame handed down like an heirloom,
woman to girl, all of us inheriting
the expectation of self-imposed muteness
that accompanied lessons of speech.

04/25/2016

Posted on 04/25/2016
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