Listen for mother.

Listen to her silent screams for help,

The screams only the empathetic can hear.

The ringing lingers.

The sound waves reflect off her own eyes,

Reflection of a mother’s cries for her dying children

And the many neonatal deaths she has endured

In her ancient life.

She watches.

Tied back and tattered, she lay helpless

As she silently observes her own creation destroy all 

She has made, including the creation themselves.

Set ablaze and extinguished with oil, 

in a plastic bag with a cheap price tag

Adhered to the wrapping with polyvinyl acetate.

In this bag lay mother, 

Tied back,

Tattered,

helpless.

Although broken, mother lives.

Although abused, mother persists.

Although her screams are silent to most

They spread with passion.

They spread with horror but

grace and fear 

But love.

Mother loves us so we must understand.

We must listen.

Maybe if we quiet our minds we can hear her cries.