Gnawing Silence

There are things we kept secret after 

our skin became too thin to escape

the bruising of brutal truth.

We wore our lover’s shell

of scarred edges and smiled,

pretending lies weren’t tucked

between life lines.

Holding hands belied the separation

of an accusing finger scratching

the shadows in our palms

where sleeping dogs lay.

The death of “us” wasn’t

from a war of angry words.

It was the meticulous gnawing

of silence through our bones.

©Susie Clevenger 2014

Kerry at Real Toads gave us this phrase for inspiration ~ There are things we kept secret after ....

A Month Of Five Sundays ~ Mini-Challenge