And then when
The record us
Suddenly hits a
Scratch we pick
Up the needle
And start again
We do this
Often this starting
Over but each
Time we expect
A skip we
Realize suddenly it’s
Not there because
Our song is
Never the same
Because neither are
We are we
One day soon
I promise that
We’ll get through
Our songs together
And now the
Chasm of silence
Has widened deepened
Silence has crawled
In like a
Dry airy dust
Storm quieting laughter
Silence like gathering
Billowing clouds far
West on the
Horizon silence like
A sheet of
Ice in November
Silence like a
Broken door bell
You may still
Be here but
I’ll never know
Our world is
But distractions pulling
Us or masking
Things or hiding
Others but the
One thing that
The world can’t
Do is quiet
The longing for
Love it rages
And beats becoming
Louder louder louder
Until at last
It finds another
Whose sound is
Similar and then
All the world
Quiets down slows
Down bows down
Finally allowing birdsongs
And puppy whimpers
To once again
Delight our ears
What is odd
Is being two
In the presence
Of three especially
When two know
And the other
One wants one
They talk cackling
Like chickens while
I sit quietly
Catching ones wink
And the lonely
Ones icy glare
Desire is noisy
Love is silent
I don’t know
About you but
For me when
I look at
You I see
Me in someone
Else and as
I turn and
Cock my head
You mirror me
It’s in you
That I see
Myself beautifully blemished
Do you see
What you might
Be or are
We just simply
Together because of
Course who else
Could stare and
Not get absorbed
Into each other
HARLAN DIDRICKSON 