Threes

There’s a trio, a troupe; three voices
serenading
three words
from the space behind my lips,
yet my mouth won’t open.
My lips and tongue have no desire to meet,
to utter those words.
The vibrato is strong, the notes are high;
Three voices uniting in harmony
but the phrase won’t come out.
Inside the voices now wail
encouragements; support floods up
against the back of my lips
yet they won’t ease open,
not even to breathe.