The Scream

she drew in the deepest breath she could muster

filling her lungs with the elements of nitrogen, oxygen, and other gases that have circulated the solar system for eons

she opened her throat and mouth as wide as the universe

and screamed with voracity to shake mountains and loosen things once blocked

this scream contained the exclamations of the past and future

guiding her to wash her pallet clear of sour and bitter and seemed to last lifetimes

reverberating across the land and through the earth creating avalanches of emotion and memory

to crumble the systems of oppression and bring back voices of the silenced

tears streamed down her face to join the waters of the creaks, rivers, lakes and oceans

tumbling along the way across pebbles, sand, and rocks

salt returning to salt

as her scream came to an end with all air being expressed from her diaphragm in a hush

everything took a pause and no sound was heard

peace

then a collective inhale of cleansing and healing

where life could start anew

and the birds could commence their jubilant song