Untitled #3

Jennifer Paige©1999

The city screams on below

Heard only as a hoarse whisper from a cliff

The lights try to rival the stars

But succeed only briefly before the thin

            Clouds blow over

From here, the stars are Gods

And the city is but a city,

A distant reminder of progress

            Against the steep slops of ancient mountains

One might think this a true silence

            Minus the dog barking a mile below

            Or the wind through the pines

But only if one knew true silence would

            Those nuances be detectable

When two lovers happen upon this place

In the mock silence of midnight

Mindful of the ledges and edges of

            Themselves and the mountain

Trying to hurtle each other into the

            Canyon desire

Where, for a few brief and precious moments,

            Time stops and there truly is silence

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