Make Joyful Noise
I found my
Company D
Group photo from
Basic Training
Yesterday
PVT Jackson
Had written
This message
On the back
To Hutchison
(the songbird)
You are a very
Sweet person
Stay the same
And you will
Succeed in life
Reading this
Brings back
Memories
Choking
Stifling
PVT Hutchison
All but
Disappeared
Faded away
In Colorado
Sexual harassment
Smote her songbird
Ripped her voice
Right from her
Vulnerable throat
Like Ursula the Sea Witch
From The Little Mermaid
I long to
Hug
That younger version
Of myself
Protect her
Give her
Flight
Untether
The dove
And make
Joyful noise
©2014 Jill Baker
Snapshots 
I find it ironic that one of my soldier sisters referred to me as a songbird, since it was my military experiences that shut down that self expressive part of me in the first place. Singing opens the soul to others, and this can be frightening for someone who is trying so desperately to protect it from further harm. It has only been a few years since I started singing out loud in front of others again (other than my drunk version of karaoke, which was years ago.) It feels good, right, to imagine my future with singing in it.