Silence The soft breath Of an old dog asleep A room with an open window My mother in the kitchen Banging pots and pans around I used to hate that sound I used to hate that sound Silence I used to think it was A thing you had to hold A thing you had to give But it’s just an idea It’s a place you learn to live Silence My dad turning pages Of a book he’s already read Knowing the ending Reading it anyway Drifting off in his chair Silence I used to think it was A thing you had to hold A thing you had to give But it’s just an idea It’s a place you learn to live Silence An act of forgiveness Not something I need permission for But something I wanted to say out loud A soft way of letting go A quiet way of moving on Silence I used to think it was A thing you had to hold A thing you had to give But it’s just an idea It’s a place you learn to live
