Day 22 (Try something that scares you (just a little) and then write a poem about it.)
Bearing it All
I can see it in my head
a crowded room
ready to hear me speak
my poetry.
Their eyes like darts
their judgement like daggers
ripping into my words
as I stand naked fleshed
in front of them.
My tongue bound
to the four corners of my mind
spread eagle unable to recoil
from their presumed thoughts.
It’s not public speaking
I’ve done that since I was young.
It was a church thing to speak from
the pulpit and bear your heart
and testimony. So proud I was
to mimic adults, wait my turn
and tell everyone the church was true
because I was going to be a big sister soon.
No it is not public speaking,
it is standing in front of people
and speaking my bold words
words of my radical faith
words of my authenticity
words that are my humanity
words that expose my fragility.
I might as well be at a podium
and nude. Believing I am safer
with a mute tongue
then to speak my fleshy words.
Slowly I shed
a word,
then two
until I can stand
to bare it all
for poetry.
