Every word I speak is silent because they go unheard.

Lack of volume no but lack of acknowledgement.

My silence echos through my heart the ringing of a thousand bells.

Bells etched from the sorrow in my soul, screetching voluminous, excrutiating despair.

Reach into my mind and the silence becomes you, becomes numbness to the sound.

Blocking out all the thoughts, singing, screaming.

Hints of joy mixed with the blackness of a soul unheard.

Dimmed by the expectations of others.

Why talk if they do not want to hear me.

...and they wonder why I talk to myself.