I am a prisoner to words unspoken.
The ones that mattered but remained
All too silent.
Returned to the earth before ever being born.
Officially born.
Created…yet never discovered.
Like an aborted baby.
A thought, an epiphany, an idea.
But killed in the womb.
Like nothing ever happened.

I am a prisoner to words unspoken.
Where pen meets paper with idea.
But nothing happens.
Pen seems to be a bit shy.
And idea…doesn’t have a clue.

I am a prisoner to words unspoken.
Ones mumbled which should have been shouted.
Ones rethought, when they shouldn’t have been changed.
Reorganized when they should have remained the same.
And the bars that surround me,
Completing my cell
Remind me now of what should have been stated then.

And bring up instances where
I shouldn’t have even began to
Speak my mind.
Prisoner to words unsaid and also
Ones too hastily spoken.
And they haunt me.
If only I could go back in time
And rework that last sentence, or
Nix it completely.

Prisoner to words unsaid
And I’ve already had my hearing.
Now it’s time for execution day…
These words can really kill me,
And they will. If they choose to.
Please, God. Don’t fail me now.
I know you can hear me.
Have I said too much?
Let me answer that for you.

I am a prisoner to words unspoken.
The ones that mattered but remained
All too silent.
Like a drawn breath, never let go.
And you black out just before
You get the chance to say “no”.