Say All, Say Nowt

Say All, Say Nowt

She told him the truth by morning light,

her hands wide open, her face plain bright

She never held back what could be said

words spilled daily beside the bread

Say all, said she, what’s life to hide

our thoughts are steps we walk beside

Each laugh, each fear, each passing ache

why build a wall we’ll never break

Nowt to say, said he with a nod

his silence stood like a man with God

He carried his stories tight in his chest

left unsaid what he thought was best

She danced in questions, light on her feet

he watched in quiet from his steady seat

She cracked her heart for him to see

he blinked, then boiled his cup of tea

Say all, said she, with eyes gone red

no secrets lying in our bed

Nowt, said he, then turned to go

as if too much would let her know

Years came soft, and years came hard

she grew tired of playing bard

She poured and poured till the glass stood dry

he held his peace as the hours slid by

Still married, aye, with rings well worn

but one gave life, and one was sworn

She wrote her love with every breath

he carved it quiet, even in death

They buried him with a book unopened

no titles shown, no pages broken

Say all, said she, above his grave

and left the word he never gave — love

She wore black not for show or pride

but for the talk that never arrived

The words he hoarded, locked and deep

still sat with her when she tried to sleep

The house stayed still, the chair untouched

his coat still hung where he left it clutched

She’d speak to him in morning air

but silence answered from the chair

Her voice grew hoarse, her hands grew thin

yet she held the world he kept within

She told his stories, guessed the rest

said what she thought he’d never confessed

Neighbours came with casseroles warm

She thanked them kindly, rode the storm

No wailing fits, no widow’s scream

just quiet steps through every dream

Say all, said she, to walls and floors

to empty cups and half-closed doors

He said nowt, but left her all

a house, a coat, a name to call

And love, though late, in her own way

she spoke for him, she made it stay

A word he never dared to show

but still she said it, soft and low