May the Silence Break
Because you do not speak
I know the shock
of water encountering a rock.Supremacy of silence is what I hate.
Only gods and graves have a right to that
or one who knows what this is all about.Perhaps you do.
If so, let something break through
the walls of silence surrounding you.Out here among words
your silence is the magnet I am drawn towards.
Men’s mouths, animals’ eyes and the throats of birdsfear this impenetrable thing.
So do I, all day long
and when the night drops like a confirmationof what you are,
controller of every star,
possessorof what the daylight struggled to reveal.
This possession kills
whatever it wills.Nothing I say matters tonight.
Nor should it.
This silence is rightbecause it knows it is.
I shiver in the cocksure ice
and long for the warmth of bewildered eyes.May the silence break
and melt into words that speak
of pain and heartacheand the hurt that is hard to bear
in the world out here
where love continues to fight with fearand the war on silence will end in defeat
for every heart permitted to beat
in the air that hearts make sweet.Brendan Kennelly, from A time for Voices
Lots of other good poems on this site too (and we like the idea of life-saving poems): http://anthonywilsonpoetry.com/2012/05/19/lifesaving-poems-brendan-kennellys-may-the-silence-break/
Palace Gate Counselling Service
-
Archives
- October 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
-
Meta