-- A SILENCE OF SO MUCH --

John Herlihy

The woods are dark, mysterious and deep;

A soft hush reigned within the world asleep.

In all four directions, the silence of so much,

Nothing to hear, only to see, taste, and touch.

The woods now alive with specks of light,

Only to elevate more the silence of night.

Not just silence, but a silence of so much,

To settle upon the world as an aftertouch.

Silence of savannahs, silence of oceans,

Silence as if drawn from magic potions.

Silence of mountain peaks, silence of dawn,

Silence in the awesome stillness of a fawn.

Snow fell soundlessly, each flake unique,

Filling our hearts with the peace we seek.

A sky hawk rose up in the flutter of wings,

This too held silence of so much that sings.

A silence within us, our hearts to subdue,

Forgotten are all the worries we ever knew.

Silence wrapped in ribbons, a gift of soul,

Hear attentively the greatest story ever told.

Silence left behind in hurt never healed;

A voice would cry out, but your lips sealed.

Days on end bound only by endless sorrow;

A sad yesterday holds seeds of tomorrow.

Nature speaks best thru the silence heard;

Mysterious tales told without even a word.

A silence in all that we taste, smell, touch;

Everywhere we turn, a silence of so much.

Nature’s carousel slowed to take its ease;

Even the wind has died, not even breeze.

Silence so subtle it would surely be missed,

There amid heartbeats when tenderly kissed.

What does silence look like, like night, like air,

Not scary or windy, but just as if nothing there.

How can so little end up having so much to say;

The inside of a hollow drum will always say nay.

We praise nature as our tribute of clear reliance;

What nature wants from us is nothing but silence.

Just let silence enter each sight, smell, and touch,

The same as every other silence, this and so much.

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(c) John Herlihy 3 March 2019