people don’t realize
the severity of their words
until it’s too late.
they spit out hatred
and belittle others
all for the pleasure
of their own.
those words
e c h o
in people’s minds.
they tear them down,
and keep them up at night.
scars line their bodies,
and every single one
is from a different insult.
migraines and panic attacks
ensue regularly.
depression takes its toll.
it consumes all of you,
and you’re constantly running
from something
you can’t escape.
silent screams form
a barrier
around someone.
walls are put up
and isolation
is the only way
to feel whole.
nights get longer.
thoughts get louder.
until suddenly,
they break.
grasping for hope,
or anything that will
give them reason to stay.
but as everything billows up,
it gets harder
to handle.
and letting go
seems like the easiest option.
and now all that’s left
is the quiet creaking
of a rope tied to the ceiling fan,
and a body drained of color.
hearts break
and people grieve.
but they didn’t know
how badly that soul was aching.
or how much
it longed for a release.
no one realizes
that their words
can bring death.
or that they
can impact someone
so severely
until it’s too late.
v.w.
07.14.19