When I was a little girl
I use to talk so much
I use to tell my mother
About my wonderful teachers
And things under my bed
Like monsters and creatures
I use to show her the wings of a butterfly
And play for her the strings of a lullaby
I told her about the cute boy in my English class
And the evil girl who broke my sunglass

I use to talk all the time
Sing songs that had no rhyme
And talk in the dinner table with my mouth full
Because I had to let my mom know
That Mickey Mouse was so cool
Talk and talk from night to day
So many meaningless words to say

Until one day
My mom told me
God gave you two ears and one mouth
Know what that means?
It means listen more than you speak

So I started to listen
I listened to the child crying
Because she lost her doll
And the suicide bombers killing innocent people at the mall
I listen to fragile hearts drop suddenly to the floor
And screams of the prisoner behind the prison door
The sounds hitting my ears
Like shards of glass
Uncontrollable bombs with heavy mass
And voices scream in my mind
There is no peace for me to find

But I listened
I listen to the bird flying
With broken wings
And the bee’s buzz
Before it stings
Like ants crawling under your skin
The noises echo behind my head
As I close my eyes trying to feel safe in my bed
Closing my eyes tight
Yet I still feel the snake’s poisonous bite
My ears are like giant speakers absorbing more than I can bear
And my lips are stitched together; all I can do is stare.

So I listen
Listen to the husband beating his wife
And the teenage girl
Slits her wriest with a sharp knife
I listen to the man
Who raped his daughter
Couldn’t believe he was her father
My innocence disappear
And I try to hide from fear
But the dark shadows follow me
Engulf my spirits so I can’t see

But I continue to listen
And wait for my turn to speak
But the conceited condescending cowards
Won’t let me speak
Speak true words
Of loyalty, liberty and love
Speak memories of freedom
I want that little girl to speak
Singsongs of meaningful melodies
And pray for peaceful mountains
I want her to speak of
Democracy and equality
Of corrupted government and propaganda

Mother please let her speak
Her voice so strong
Her thoughts not wrong
Her dreams left alone
Mother please let her speak
Her eyes full of words
Her heart full of memories
Her hopes full of power
Mother please let her speak
Please cut the stitches on her lips
And loosen the belt tight around her hips
Mother please let her speak

God gave her two ears
But a mouth to speak
A mouth to preach
About present days
And past nights
Mother please let me speak