MISSION STATEMENT

SILENT VOICES SPEAK started out as Silent Voices: A Writer’s Workshop, as the first group at the drop-in center at the Broadway location of Community Counseling Centers of Chicago, whose purpose is to empower it’s attendees to form and attend their own groups.

We have branched out as an independent entity. We are silent no more. We say yes to the creative possibilities of life & art...

The mission of SILENT VOICES SPEAK is to give a voice to people who are disenfranchised. Many of the participants in SILENT VOICES SPEAK are also visual and/or performing artists.

Membership is open to all.
Send submissions to lizhipwell@gmail.com.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

ALL IN DUE TIME by Joanne Taylor

     All in due time, is what I always say, for as long as I can remember.
     I have had this life-long dream of getting married. Not just to any man, but the perfect man. He has to have a good paying job (so I would not have to work anymore), be an excellent cook (since I am terrible at it). He has to teach me how to sort laundry (because I throw everything into one washer and pray that they turn out okay). I need him to scratch my back at night so that I don’t have to jump out of bed and look for the back scratcher (my back always itches in a spot where I can’t reach it) He needs to be my electric blanket to keep me warm on those cold winter nights. This will save us money on the heating bill. I expect him to buy me a house where everything is on one floor, with a one car garage since I don’t drive. I will need three bedrooms; one for us, one for the grand kids, and the last one for his mother (I think her room needs to be at the end of the hall); two bathrooms since I have a habit of staying in there for hours at a time. A maid would be nice; to fix my meals while he’s at work, but no dishwasher (I love having my hands in water).
These are just a few things I expect from my husband, but I know this will all happen in due time.
-Joanne Taylor

AT THE END OF MY ROPE by Margie Taylor


             It was March 25th, 2011. The call came to me. Andy said, “Are you coming home?”
            I said, “Yes.” When Jen came home I left to go home. I bought Andy six packs of Bang Bangs to smoke.
            When I gave them to Andy he said,  “Are you trying to kill me?”
            I said, “No.” I ate dinner after that.  I went down to watch TV.
            Andy was in the chair. He asked me, “Are you going to sleep?”
            I said, “No, we can talk at 9:00pm.”
            Andy’s body shook. He took his last breath. I heard it. He died in front of me.
            That was the end of my rope for me. I found myself asking God a lot of questions like, “Where and why did Andy go?”
-Margie Taylor