The Weight of Silence – Creative Writing

By Bridgette Duncan

Silence, such a cunning companion. Necessary, and sometimes comforting. It makes space for your sorrows, your joys, and your healing. Silence will encapsulate you. It latches to you like a scarf around your neck in high winds. Molding to your form of stillness until its vast hollowness consumes your screams.

How heavy is your silence?

How much do you bear in the dark spaces where only you can reside?

Where do you go when you are silent?

A separate world draped by a heavy veil containing the stains from your tears. Thread-bare from years of filtering your piercing screams from the outside world. A space where you carry your internal struggles unseen by even the closest people around you. The space where your mental lifting begins and ends.

You weigh your options.

You think, and think, and think some more.

Then, form opinions you may never speak. Why?

Fear filters through your veil that protects you from the world. In silence, perhaps is the perfect breeding ground for your fears to grow. Consuming all your mental energy causing stagnation opposed to comforting stillness.

Endless fears becomes the low background hum to your silence.

“What do we need to say? What are the tyrannies you swallow day by day and attempt to make your own, until you will sicken and die of them, still in silence…the weight of that silence will choke us.” – Audre Lorde

Where do we go when your silence becomes inhospitable? When the weight of your silence clutches to your neck like a scarf in cold winds.

Lift the heavy veil.

We need to hear you speak.

Bridgette Duncan aka Bee, (she/they) is a Black queer creative and wellness guide who loves to inspire Black womxn and womxn of color to be the best version of themselves. She's a movement whose is a certified personal trainer, Pilates instructor, and former professional dancer. Her work is informed by her background in dance, sports, personal training, Pilates. Bridgette holds a BFA in Dance from Temple University. Her specialties are personal training, Pilates, pre/post-rehabilitation, and holistic wellness services.