When the world walked two by two,
and she alone,
silence felt lonely.
And so the universe set her the task
of embracing solitude.
She began to observe
how people seemed to need
a lot of talk and noise
to know they were alive.
And so she listened
more deeply,
to the hum of the planet
and the music of the spheres,
the way the night sky
seemed, almost, to sing,
and to Grandfather Cedar
breathing peace
straight into her heart.
She tuned in to the voice within,
wiser than any outer voice,
but one it takes far too long
to learn to trust.
At some point,
silence came to live inside her,
a vast, interior silence
where there were no words,
no thoughts, no worries,
a time when the sound of the sea
washed all away,
leaving behind only
peace, presence,
and joy.
And now she knows all about
the silence from which
all music comes.*
It is her dearest friend.
Through it, the beautiful
symphony of life
plays like a mellow clarinet
on a summer afternoon,
warm and golden, counterpoint to
the full brass band
of daily existence,
all inter-woven and living
mellifluously together
in her heart.
*Mozart said: The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between.
for Mary's prompt at What's Going On: Silence
I like the progression of this poem. Initially silence felt lonely, but as time went on you learned to embrace it, and now it is a dear, dear friend. The last stanza is beautiful, Sherry. Your poem is a masterpiece!
ReplyDeleteWell my dear...Mary is right! This is a masterpiece and deserves to put in all the major poetry anthologies.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to write my name If you can guess who this is I'll be tickled pink and will recommend you to the Canadian consulate to be considered as a candidate for the Canadian Poet Laureate
ReplyDeleteHmmm....PK or Rall? Thanks for the kind comments, friends.
ReplyDeleteIt's Rall. You can only have one correct answer so you have to forego the Laureate position this time:)
DeleteLOL. I am way too tired anyway. Tofino has its own Poet Laureate and I have not applied due to increasing fatigue. But it is so cool that we have one. Lots of poetry events!!!!
DeleteThat was definitely Rallentanda's sense of humor! But I agree, a town poet laureate is cool to have. And this is a nice poem.
DeletePK
the beautiful / symphony of life / plays like a mellow clarinet / on a summer afternoon... it really is wonderful to embrace solitude and tune in to nature and mind...
ReplyDeleteThis poem is so peaceful. Words and thoughts are like bubbles mingling into the sea of silence. So love this poem, Sherry. "At some point,
ReplyDeletesilence came to live inside her,"....Most beautiful lines.
What a peaceful, beautiful poem, Sherry! I love the thought of the universe setting the task of embracing solitude. It’s true that people need a lot of talk and noise to know they’re alive, which drowns out the ‘hum of the planet and the music of the spheres’. Silence living inside is meditation, an ideal state, and ‘the beautiful symphony of life’ ‘like a mellow clarinet on a summer afternoon’!
ReplyDeleteOh, Sherry, you've been reading my mail. You've expressed my feelings about these things exactly. What a marvelous piece.
ReplyDeletemellifluously - this is such perfect word choice Sherry!
ReplyDeleteGreat poem and great progression in your words. It really takes us there. Any expresses your heart.
ReplyDeleteSherry,
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful it is when we find those very rare moments to listen to the 'symphony of life.' It is those very times when silence and solitude, can assist our search... a beautiful poetic response to the prompt subject:)
This poem really touched me tonight. Yes, it is the silence that we truly hear the music of life. Sometimes, the composition changes but, the beat keeps our heart going.
ReplyDeleteSherry, I loved "counterpoint to
ReplyDeletethe full brass band
of daily existence" --- succinct and expressive of its nature -- but then, I loved every line as one by one they progress to a balance and measure of life whose beat is one that is at long last contented, "tuned in to the voice within,
wiser than any outer voice,
but one it takes far too long
to learn to trust."
The harmony of this poem simply transports.
This is beautiful. I especially like that last stanza! I also love how the sound of the sea has that mighty, amazing effect--I've experienced it, too.
ReplyDelete