I Do Not Mind Silence

by John Herlihy

I do not mind silence,

Always here with me in my room.

As faithful friend in compliance,

Smothering the swishes of my broom.

In fact, I prefer silence,

It makes me feel comfortable.

In the surrounding air, sheer reliance,

An abiding presence relatable.

Silence my beloved friend,

Patiently waiting to be filled.

Faithful companion to the end,

A beating heart in a silence stilled.

Whatever is silence then,

Quiet footsteps no longer sound.

Beloved quietude again and again,

A second heart beating profound.

In the thick of a crowd,

I wait for the noise to fade.

In my sanctuary, head bowed,

Thru the harmony of silence to wade.

Silence, such absence pure,

Otherwise, it cannot exist.

Its wisdom our hearts to lure,

As subtle and elusive as mist.

Our babbling but pretense,

The gathering together of words.

Silence as sheer eloquence,

As expressive as the tweeting of birds.

The silence of rising dawn

The silence of descending snow

Silence never makes me feel put upon

In silence, the heart feels aglow

No silence can rightly compare,

Silence of the deaf, never to hear.

Life lived as if in perpetual prayer,

Silence held as precious and dear.

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Copyright © John Herlihy

Sunday 13 April 2025