Poem by Nicole Nicholson

"Hush"

glares
from scared
elders chill me

inside
a nervous
cold fear vibration

I
am not
to betray secrets

there's
a disconnect
between their knowledge

and
the truth
everyone already knows

I'm
asked to
lock away pain

hold
it to
my girlish bosom

it
burns my
heart like acid

good
girls don't
tattle on family



Nicole Nicholson is 31 year-old poet who has been writing poetry since age 12, drawing inspiration from the world, people, and events around her. She has recently been published in Word Slaw (http://wordslaw.blogspot.com/) and in Word Catalyst Magazine (http://www.wordcatalystmagazine.com/) and plans to release a poetry chapbook entitled Raven Feathers in the fall of 2008. A collection of her recent work can be found online at: http://ravenswingpoetry.com. She lives in Columbus, OH with her fiance, who she will be marrying this October.