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53
Peculiar
Poet, writer, public speaker, student @ Student(Aspirant)
Poet, writer, public speaker, student @ Student(Aspirant)
SEALED LIPS
<p>Mirror mirror on the wall?</p><p>My reflection staring back at me</p><p>I ask — who are you?</p><p><br/></p><p>I'm a spoken word artist,</p><p>Yet I have sealed lips,</p><p>Because I'm afraid of my pitchy voice</p><p>And the pidgin that sounds AI generated.</p><p><br/></p><p>So although I'm neither a stutterer nor a stammerer,</p><p>The costume I take on to perform has an accessory—stammer.</p><p>So when I stand on the stage, I can't hammer</p><p>Like I projected in my mind.</p><p>The words in my mouth don't come alive.</p><p><br/></p><p>I stand in the mirror, rehearsing, repeating, recording my words.</p><p>Again, again, no, no, no.</p><p>Not perfect yet.</p><p>So I have 10 clips on one poem,</p><p>Waiting for the perfect one to click post.</p><p>Then the critic thoughts barge in —</p><p>Unlawful trespassers I have no power to remove.</p><p><br/></p><p>Would people like my posts?</p><p>How would my voice sound?</p><p>Is my hair alright, the lighting bad or good?</p><p>The sound of the cockerel crowing in the background—</p><p>Will it be louder than my voice that's barely above a whisper?</p><p><br/></p><p>Just do it; at least there's a delete button.</p><p><br/></p><p>So, 2 weeks and one like.</p><p>3 weeks and 2 likes.</p><p>The voices begin to scream, "I told youuuu!"</p><p>Hit delete.</p><p>Nobody wants it. Nobody cares.</p><p><br/></p><p>Somehow, network slows, life gets busy really fast.</p><p>Many unsorted emails, 2 comments.</p><p>And those comments aren't just words.</p><p>An ignition to my broken engine.</p><p><br/></p><p>The invisible glue on my lips begins to fall off.</p><p>The hesitation in my hands flees like a thief at daylight.</p><p>The voices in my head disappear, replaced by resilience and resistance.</p><p><br/></p><p>No longer the artist with sealed lips,</p><p>But one with functioning lungs.</p><p>Yes, deep breaths, mouth open, words alive, voice aloud.</p><p>And though the applause is sparse,</p><p>2 in an empty hall echoes like thousands in a crowd.</p>
53
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