With so many things to say
Things I leave painfully unspoken
With every passing day
The world doesn't welcome my words
When they contradict the norm
My mouth stays tight and silent
As words spoken would lead to a storm
As I bind my words away
Convinced silence protects me
Am I leaving others to suffer
By denying them our community
Cowardice and self-preservation
Are siblings of the same fame
I don't know what is truly right
But I live quietly, all the same.