‘The Silence of Still’

Note: The photograph was taken November 9th, the bride and groom, the Sign of Jonah.

The Silence of Still
  
 can you hear the whispers
 through the air
 the conjugating of birds
 shh...hear them go quiet
 the low howls of hounds
 the uneasy purr of cats
 the cattle all laid down
 even the horses lie on their bellies
 their necks stretched out
 their eyes focused no wheres
  
 the waves that raged
 now are calm, smooth
 except for the slow bumping
 against lifelessness
 against broken shores
 where once stood beautiful structures
 glazing in the morning sun
 now lay invisible images
 lost in the silence of still
  
 shh...can you hear the whispers
 the crying of the trees
 their battle long gone
 watching the water come and go
 its dark, mucky vortex
 surrounding the hollowness
 of the silence
 their departed leaves
 withering in mixed congregation
  
 shh...shh...can you hear the whispers
 tiny ants coming out to feast
 hungry flies gathering around
 surveying the air
 lurking in the stillness
 ready in their devour
 of what's left
 of the silence
  
 shh...shh...there it is
 far, far but so very close
 from low, deep in throat
 a piecing wail
 like never heard
 an unmatched sound
 human...animal?
 how can one tell
 it's engulfed in the stillness
 like a look looking
 but not seeing
 it's bathed in rage
 a blanketed depth
 so darkened and mellowed
 that it stills the stillness
  
 shh...shh awaken to the whisper
 the sound of inconceivable
 as the ants begin their march
 as the flies settle their position
 as the leaves give into their stench
 as the trees weaken their hold–
 their roots release the earth
 as they fall to the ground
 lose themselves
 to the wet cape below
  
 the silence stares
 listening to the anguish wail
 coming from deep, deep
 as the sea returns to the sun
 wrapping its arms around
 the silence
 begging for beauty
 to be seen
 as she rocks back and forth
 begging the trees
 begging the cows, the horses
 all those in the wild
 'stand up, stand up'
  
 but shh...shh there's just the whispers
 low, low...the stillness
 as its look keeps looking
 but can't anymore see