Silence

January 2004

The sound of silence is deafening.
Not a whisper, not a tap.
Not even the sound of the wind
Or the beat of a heart.

The sound of silence is maddening.
You cannot bring your voice
To break the crystal stillness.
With no sound at all, you cannot think.

The sound of silence is frightening.
You dare not move or make a sound,
Lest you break this pane of glass
And send the shards into your mind.

The sound of silence is beautiful.
You can finally love the peace
Your other senses take control:

You smell a rose from miles away,
You see a chameleon, even in its disguise,
You feel a ladybug resting on your finger,
You taste the ice cream sundae that you had tomorrow.

Now you know
That silence can be broken.
But now,
You don't want to be the one to shatter it.