Nothing but Their Silences

Dare to come closer
and I will invite you
to the place where my chin trembles
and whitening lips tighten
to keep the truth of everything
from streaming down my cheeks,

tears dripping
from the tremors
of my chin
crippling my voice--
unable to speak without breaking.

We are lost, my dear,
if we can't confide in each other--
if we can't look one another in the eye
and speak without reservation
about all we have shared.

This is what we women do
when we are brave as our mothers
who had nothing but their silences.
This is when we hold each other by the hand
and whisper what can not be said
out loud.