-- SO HEAVY, SO LIGHT --

John Herlihy

The silence so heavy,

You could hear the chattering of birdsong.

The silence so light,

You could hear whispers of a temple gong.

The silence so plain,

You could feel its presence all around.

The silence so mysterious,

You could listen to secrets with no sound.

The silence so visible,

You can see it wherever it goes.

The silence so invisible,

It arrives from places that nobody knows.

The silence so deafening,

You can hear the roll of its thunder.

The silence so still,

It fills our hearts with its wonder.

The silence so inviting,

You could be drawn into its midst.

The silence so distant,

You could never hope to fall into its mist.

The silence so false,

Like a fearful thief that flew

The silence so true ,

If only we could learn what it really knew.

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(c) John Herlihy 6 January 2020