The Sound of Silence

I listen
The silence thunders in my ears
Missing the swishes, thumps, and rhythm

There is no ocean here
Only the salty streams
On my cheeks

The gravid mound
Yields to my fingers
But does not press back

My heart beats
Icy in the hollow of my stomach
I taste bile

I must be wrong
I’ve made a mistake

Black and white
Blurred images
Still

No rhythm there
I was not wrong

Tears gather
Refusing to rush forth
Barely filling the cup
Of my lower lids

Reality blurs
Time stands still
And speeds by

What do you do when
There is nothing to do?
When there is nothing to say?

My eyes burn
Full of grit
And grief

I want to embrace
And offer distance
Solace will not come

Night passes
Day passes
We wait

Minutes stretch into weeks
Years pass in a day
Letting go is the impossible thing