Words Left Unsaid

At family gatherings, laughter fills the air,

but your silence stands heavy, a weight hard to bear.

You sit at the edge, an unyielding stone,

while stories unfold, and I'm left here alone.

The shared joy erupts, but you don’t play a part,

just shadows and echoes that tear at my heart,

what lies in the distance, what words go unheard,

as the laughter rolls on, your silence, a word.

I search for connection, in moments, in space,

a gap filled with longing, a chasm to trace,

yet here I remain, with questions in tow,

wondering what tales your silence won’t show.