Your Voice on the Page

A Poem

When I can hear your voice on the page,

your stops and starts, your pauses, intention, and inflection -

insecurities, weaknesses, triumphs and victories —

when I can feel in your confidence, the secret one, the first, to know your joys, your fears, your stories,

when I can hear your voice coming from my mind, in its tone in its measure,

when I can read one word and know it is you — know how you are feeling and feel it with you —

wanting to reach through the page every stanza and line, to shake hands with, hug, punch, push, comfort, hold

the words, these words, your words, your you, this is how I know, how we know, -

it is poetry.

Jenny Justice is a mom, Sociology instructor, and writer. You can follow her on Medium and at Jenny Justice, Writer. She has been recognized as a Top Writer on Medium in Poetry, Parenting, Reading, Education, Books, Racism, Feminism and Climate Change, so far. You can follow her poetry at Justice Poetic.