-- The Forces of Silence –

John Herlihy

We usually consider silence to be mute,

The absence of sound, not a single word.

Whereas the forces of silence are astute,

An eerie premonition before being heard.

A poem born out of savage, silent depths,

The heart beats wild, the soul sweetly sings.

In the quietude of cathedrals, silent breaths,

A gentle breeze in the hush of bird wings.

The clouds march in their silent formation,

How they speak to us, but not in words.

We reach to touch, thanks to imagination,

In the blue space of heaven with the birds.

In emptiness of the drum lies soul rhythm

The beating of its heart patiently awaiting

Evocative forces as in the light of a prism

Rhythm and sound to surge, never abating

A well of emotion in the silence of a kiss,

Drawn from sweet tenderness celestial.

Falling down from heaven in angelic bliss,

The union of two hearts, holy, reverential.

Silence of a symphonic orchestra at rest,

The melodic beauty of music yet to be told.

Wealth of potential lock in a treasure chest,

Tidal forces at the edge, waiting to unfold.

The latent power sequestered in a chessboard,

Game secrets locked within knights and pawns.

The majestic beauty of logic strikes a silent cord,

Waiting to be realized, played in hush of dawns.

The mind rarely silent, so often filled with noise,

A steady stream of incantations in search of joys

Peaceful silence, all to myself, when mind at rest.

Silence as a perfect diamond, with light blessed

Strange how there in the silence of nothingness,

Mysterious forces gather, in the soul to be filled.

Glorious how there in the silence of nothingness,

When silence calls out to us, the heart be stilled.

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Copyright © John Herlihy

Monday 21 March 2022