Love In The Time Of Silence

“Having to talk destroys the symphony of silence.”
― Aleister Crowley, Diary of a Drug Fiend


I am not sure when
we stopped speaking,
speaking beyond necessary.

Words sit on our tongues
like sparrows, common,
generic, sterile, polite.

When startled into the
insistence we make commentary,
we flutter our vocal chords
long enough to let conversation
appease, and then return
to roost in our silence.

Forcing someone to sing
will not make the music sweet….

Love is not a measure
of how many words we can
bead across the gap.

It is knowing there is enough
passion in our hearts to carry
us through our silent winter.


 ©Susie Clevenger 2014

 Sunday Mini-challenge ~ In Other Words


Comments

Hani said…
wonderful wonderful :-)!
November 19, 2014 at 2:15 AM
Anonymous said…
I am a talker from a family of talkers--(my maternal family)--and this has increasingly taught me the value of silence--that beading words line was very good--the way we fill up space, not always so well--a wonderful idea for a poem, well-executed. Thanks, Susie. k.
November 19, 2014 at 5:13 AM
Sumana Roy said…
in some situations even a whisper sounds like noise...word is not needed when the heart is full, some feelings speak more than words..beautifully done...
November 19, 2014 at 5:43 AM
ayala said…
Enough passion in our hearts..... I love this. Beautiful.
November 19, 2014 at 6:05 AM
Grandmother Mary said…
I love this and resonate with its question. The last two lines are perfect.
November 19, 2014 at 7:04 AM
Kerry O'Connor said…
Such an excellent poem, Susie. You do not have a word or thought out of place in this finely-balanced exploration of a very human aspect of relationships. I love it.
November 19, 2014 at 7:05 AM
Jim said…
A nice write about this couple's 'silent winter', Susie. It must have been a LONG winter also since the writer couldn't remember its start.

I am glad too that their passion would carry them through. Ours (first marriage) didn't make it, the passion died.
..
November 19, 2014 at 12:46 PM
Sherry Blue Sky said…
"Words sit on our tongues like sparrows".....I love that. And the knowing there is enough love to weather the silent winter.......
November 19, 2014 at 1:11 PM
Kathryn Dyche said…
As someone who loves silence this really resonates with me.
November 19, 2014 at 3:32 PM
Magaly Guerrero said…
I'm reading this to my husband tonight. I love what you say about love... and about silence.
November 19, 2014 at 5:04 PM
Arlynda Lea Beuterbaugh said…
"Susie Clevenger" has been included in the seventeenth edition of our November Nudges series. Be assured that we hope this helps to send many new customers your way.

http://arlyndalea.blogspot.com/2014/11/november-nudges-201417.html
November 21, 2014 at 1:23 AM
Preeti S. said…
"It is knowing there is enough
passion in our hearts to carry
us through our silent winter."

and

"Forcing someone to sing
will not make the music sweet…."

Loved it! The title reminds me of the Marquez' novel 'Love in the Time of Cholera' (although I'm yet to read the book). Beautifully penned, Susie.
November 21, 2014 at 2:24 PM
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