Silence is a prison that locks away the truth,
hiding it in the shadows of life.

Words yearn to be spoken,
but are instead swallowed whole.
It’s a safer alternative
than facing an empty void.

Your gaze is directed elsewhere,
avoiding the person who sits
before you … one who is waiting for
compassion that never arrives.

So, the spaces between words
grow longer and
the disconnect becomes stronger.

Words exchanged fall flat,
drowned out by the ticking clock
and the clicking of a keyboard
as nimble fingers go through their paces.

Am I merely a bystander,
deprived of the chance
to share my story
locked within?

Questions remain unanswered
in a silence that will forever be.

Will my story of life
be told beyond the confines
of my mind and heart?
Or is it destined to be just
a series of glances and nods
within a space
where trust is an unwelcome visitor?

This is not just about science;
It is a narrative that we,
patient and healer,
must write together…
a story where healing emerges
from both the knowing and being known.

These white walls of silence
stand resolute and unwavering.
Are we both victims of a system
determined to prevent
the healing of our spirits,
until we both walk away defeated?

Michele Luckenbaugh is a patient advocate.