Silence

i see you.
i hear you.
you're not alone.
broken, i waited for those words
proof that i had survived,
that the abuse was over,
but years passed
and the air was chilly
in its silence.
no understanding voice spoke out,
and my own voice was lost
in fear,
in shame,
in isolation,
whispers falling down
between blurred beginnings,
never touching another person.
silence was sacred,
and worship was mandatory
as my life ticked on
like a bomb about to detonate.
if only...
but wishes could not change
the truth.
no one saw.
no one heard.
i was alone.
longing for something i could
no longer articulate in words
but whose name i will never forget...
hope.