Invisible Until It Smashes

Invisible Until It Smashes

You did not see me when I was quiet. Polite. Hands folded. Eyes low. You walked right through me
Straight through my chest
Like I was air with a shirt on
Like I was built to be passed.
I held every sharp edge inward so you would not bleed
Tucked nails into palms
Bit my tongue till it tasted like coin and rust and old need

You ignored the twitch, Ignored the shaking leg
Ignored the twitching smile that started to sag.
Thought I would stay that way
Did you? Thought I would swallow it for you.
I am invisible until something smashes
Till the wall cracks, Till the glass crashes
You only hear my voice when the room goes red with sound

Guess what, I am done holding things down.
You tell people I changed. Got mean. Got cold. You leave out the part where you cut every signal
Left me on hold, You tell them I snap over nothing
They never hear the years that led to the snap
The nights I sat still in your storm, Hands in my lap.

You wanted a doormat, Not a mind
You trained a monster and left it confined.
I am invisible until something smashes
Till the wall cracks, Till the glass crashes
You only hear my voice when the room goes red with sound
Guess what, I am done holding things down.

Next time you pretend you never saw this coming
Look at every time you shrugged and moved along
Every “I am busy”, every eye roll, every brush-off
Every time you hit skip on my song.