The Sound of Reverberating Silence

Between the ringing of the bell
and the opening of the door
Between reaching the platform
and the coming of the metro
Between lying in bed
and waiting for sleep
lies the silence.

In the depths of nights of darkness
In the heart of rock or stone
In the spaces of an old man's thoughts
lies the silence

Between what I feel
and what I say
Between what I say
and what you hear
Between what you do
and what I understand
lies the silence

In the centre of activity, civilisation
In the core of things
In the abyss of a mind
lies eternal, irredeemable silence

Some go to offices, some go to classes
some go to parties, some go to night clubs
some to book clubs, others to piano lessons
some apply hair dye as they see themselves grow old
some tell fortunes out of tea leaves
some smoke and drink chai and pass time
All are in a hurry, a flurry to escape
all know it intimately, all deny it vehemently
the eternal, irredeemable silence.