The Five Ws

(I raise my voice.)

“How do I even begin to explain this to you?”

(Then I wonder.)

“Why do I care if you understand?”

(You scream.)

“When will you allow yourself to disentangle from this concept of visible pain? You used to be so happy.”

(I whisper.)

“Who gets to decide what remains seen or unseen?”

(You sit down.)

“What is your end game in this needlessly violent pageantry—I mean, how will you know if you are ‘known?’”

(I exhale.)

“Where do I begin?”

(I inhale.)

“How will I definitively measure the magnitude of my suffering—is that what you really want to know?”

(I exhale.)

“Well, how many tears make up the ocean?”