Tired of Being Silenced

Tired of thinking
Tired of hurting
Tired of being silenced
Tired of being put down,
Shut down,
Silenced.

Shutting my mouth
Just because I know
They wouldn’t listen
Yet tearing my heart out
As I silence myself
Wanting to say

That I’m used to it
Having done it a million times each day
But the wave of agitation and hurt
Pop back up as if I’d never felt
The feeling before
Feeling as if punching myself in the stomach

Would hurt less than being repeatedly silenced
Yet when I try this approach
The dull ache is still there
And then I’m tired of realizing
That it won’t go away.