The Words You Said

Everything’s fine.

Photo by Sam Moghadam Khamseh on Unsplash

Your words hit like punches.

My being shattering. My lips torn from me.
My chest tightening. My breathing shallowed.
My existence reduced to a tiny smidgen.

I’m reminded I’m not your kind.
I’m a figurine on the shelf.
Fish in a fish bowl.
Your world.
And my world.

My being is shouting but no sounds come out.

You. A complete perfect being.
My utterance barely a disturbance in the atmosphere.
Microaggression. Privilege. Fragility.
Big words. Scholarly words.
You. Innocent you. Being you.

Death by a thousand paper cut.
I got a new rug. New smile.
Cheek turned. Tongue bitten.
Everything’s fine.