by Georgia McDade

I need to say something.

I have to say something.

I want to say something.

But I don’t know what to say.

I knew I would have to say something.

What do I say?

I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO SAY!

I know I cannot not say something.

I can say something.

I need to say something.

I have to say something.

I want to say something.

I don’t want to say the wrong something.

But what is the RIGHT something?

I know why there’s a problem: I do not want you

to have this pain, yet I know all the wanting

in the world won’t erase the pain.

Perhaps you can tell me what to say,

what you wish to hear.

Perhaps I can say it.

But then, that does not work.

I’m the one who must say something, to you.

Selfish me!

I want you to say something, not just anything,

but something.

I go from all of these things to say to nothing to say.

And the real problem is this: what I want to say is,

“Please say something to me.”

I always want you to say something.

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Georgia S. McDade is a fifty-year resident of Seattle and former professor of English. As a youngster she wrote and produced plays for her siblings, neighbors and church youth. A charter member of the African-American Writers’ Alliance, which meets regularly at the Columbia City Library, McDade began bringing her original stories to an appreciative public in 1991. She lives in the Columbia City neighborhood. 

  Image by Tyrone Lambert from Pixabay