‭ there are quiet kinds of drowning‬

‭ By Angela Du‬

‭ DROWNING does not always make a sound.‬

‭ some of it is pretending to look fine,‬

‭ feet still planted on the ground,‬

‭ while you slowly FALL BEHIND.‬

‭ SOME OF IT is smiling right,‬

‭ answering by nodding on cue,‬

‭ holding your tears through every night‬

‭ like that’s what STRONG PEOPLE do.‬

‭ YOU LEARN how to fade in place,‬

‭ to keep your pain in parallel,‬

‭ memorize a calm-faced grace‬

‭ so no one SEES YOU in your shell.‬

‭ and ONE DAY you felt attacked,‬

‭ realized what you had found.‬

‭ no one saves you when you crack‬

‭ cause they DON’T CARE if you drown.‬