Accent Shift

I spoke, softening the edges,

smoothing out my vowels,

as if my tongue

were trying on someone else’s skin.

On the phone, I lost the curve

of my home sound,

flattened the creases

that made me speak like I’m from somewhere.

The silence hung heavy after,

my mouth too unfamiliar

with the words it made,

a stranger speaking back at me.

I wondered if losing my accent

was like losing a scar,

or trading a map

for a blank page.

And still, the voice I borrowed

feels like a costume

I can't quite fold up neat,

no matter how I try.