-- A Silence Like None Other --

By John Herlihy

A silence like none other ever to occur,

Silence an emptiness in the heart to stir.

Prelude to sound offers feelings tender,

Sweet anticipation -- silence to surrender.

Silence without feeling, numb as winter chill,

Nestled in the heart, silently beating still.

More than a hush, nothing at all, pure void,

Quietude of a forest glade, all sound to avoid.

The bud of the poem drawn of this abyss,

Akin to the breathlessness before a kiss.

Nothingness as hallmark of a brief pause,

A silent stealth experienced by cat’s paws.

Absolute silence not a thing easily achieved,

The quiet darkness of night has us deceived.

When even a falling leaf sounding as a roar,

Before a return to the silence we all adore.

The soft touch of pure silence such a rarity,

Akin to the intrigue found in sheer mystery.

Silence surrounding musicians of a symphony,

Before lifting violins to strike notes of beauty.

The poem born of magic only silence can bring,

Out of a profound sense of nothing, something.

A poet knows the feeling what was there before,

And what lay there after, upon closing the door.

Hush sweet silence, as the moment holds breath,

Savor its blissful forgetfulness, as in the little death.

Briefly, total silence, hands raised, as if in control,

Waiting for silence to be heard, as distant bells toll.

The silence of dawn, broken by an awakening bird,

Silence of a poet, patiently awaiting the first word.

Absolute silence like none other ever to occur,

Akin to the ambiance of frankincense and myrrh.

- - - - - -

Copyright © John Herlihy

Thursday 15 June 2023