Learning to Be Silent

Swallowing my words,

staring at the floor,

(Fm11)counting little cracks in the (Cm11)tile,

(Bbm7)struggling to smile without (Ebsus)choking, (Eb)learning to be (Ab6/9)silent.

Watching how the dust

dances out the door,

(Fm11)noticing my hands start to (Cm11)shake,

(Bbm7)contemplating taking up (Eb9sus)smoking, (Eb7)learning to be (Ab6/9)silent.

(C)Always (Dbmaj7)hearing, "Hush, Ethel!"

(Eb)"Please, Vi!"

"Let's not have this (Abmaj7)conversation."

(Bbm7)And so I (Cm7)stand by (Dbmaj7)while my mind takes a (Db)small (Eb)vacation.

(Bbm7)La la la la la (Ab)la la (Bbm)la.

(Ab6/9)Making little sounds other folks ignore,

(Fm11)Quieting the beat of my (Cm11)heart,

(Bbm7)never being part of the (Eb9sus)moment,

(Eb7)learning to be (Ab6/9)silent.

(C)Learning there (Dbmaj7)are some topics that we (Eb)don't even (Ab)mention,

and (Bbm7)if they come (Cm7)up, then we (Dm7)try to be (G)vague.

There are (C)subjects from which we (Gm7)divert all attention,

and (Bbsus2)some we (Csus2)avoid like the (Fsus)plague.

(Dbmaj7)I'm becoming a (Cm7)mime,

biting my (Bbm7)tongue,

biding my time.

Trying not to (Ab6/9)scream;

ing not to scream;

managed it before.

aged it before.

(Edim7)Knowing if I'm going to survive,

then, (Fm)dammit, I've got to (Bbm7)practice.

Practice. Learning, hmm hmm (Ab6/9)hmm hmm.