Before She Could Speak

oh there once was a girl
and she dreamed of the world
but when she first saw it
her whole life unfurled

she was aghast
so very aghast
she had seen the world at last

but the world was broke
nothing was right
though nothing was wrong
because nobody spoke

for the fear of being
silenced before they could speak

and she'd sit
and she'd sit
talking all about it

oh her head was in the clouds
she wasn't always there
but she dreamed of a world
where everyone could be loud

and no one was silenced
before they could speak

oh she dreamed
and she dreamed
and her whole life gleamed

but it was clear to see
happiness was evading her
when suddenly the thought occurred
that they wanted her to be

the girl who was silenced
before she could speak

so she pondered
and she pondered
and she let her mind wander

and the more that she thought
the further that she got
and the further that she got
the more that she sought

not to be the girl who was silenced
before she could speak

so she preached
and she preached
giving speech after speech

but in the end
it was only pretend
because nobody came
and nobody listened

about preventing being silenced
before they could speak

so she tried
and she tried
but in the end she only sighed

with her mouth closed like a shutter
and her vocal cords clamped
her mouth sewed shut
she barely even mutter

about being silenced
before she could speak

so she pouted
and she pouted
while inside her heart shouted

about what was taken
her freedom
and her voice
her being was shaken

because for the first time she was
silenced before she could speak

and she shook
and she shook
in her tiny little nook

as she waited
as she wondered
and she figured
she was fated

to be silenced
before she could speak

so she waited
and she waited
in the silence that she hated

for the silence to be broke
and a sound to begin
and the silence to end
so she spoke

not waiting to be silenced
before she could speak

so she talked
and she talked
not fearing being mocked

as she voiced all her thoughts
all her hopes
and all her dreams
as she fought

being silenced
before she could speak

but mocked she was
oh how mocked she was
and all just because

they didn't believe
in the girl
in the room
so she thought she would leave

before she was silenced
before she could speak

so she fled
and she fled
until her beating heart sped

until she was lost
with no way back
and no way out
for that was the cost

of being silenced
before she could speak

and she looked
and she looked
for her quiet nook

until she had sought
what was long gone
she found herself
and who she was not

the girl who would be
silenced before she could speak

and she'd shout
and she'd shout
discarding all her doubt

as she ranted
and she raved
for the freedom
that she craved

so tired of being silenced
before she could speak

she screamed
and she yelled
every pain
her heart held

as she spoke
and she spoke
until her voice broke

in front of the mirror
where no one
not a soul
could ever hear her

silenced
before she could speak