if you pause
to listen carefully
you can hear the silence in my house
fan blades whirl above
to ease the buttery warmth
of summer days gone wild
as ribbons of sunlight
stream in through glass
past trees beyond
in a world away
to play upon the polished floors
of golden oak
where footfalls of parties once held
laughter and words whispered by candlelight
somehow linger in the absolute stillness
the rooms lie dormant like me
in their patient wait
for human touch
silence assured
by wall-to-wall books meant to be read
and cushioned by a mind
where memories
echo on
soundlessly
Copyright © 2002 Patricia Petro • All rights reserved.