I watched and waited and still nothing, Barely breathing so as not to distill the stillness, I waited and watched -- not even a peep, Shattered the evening silence.
There are no birds here, I finally concluded, it must be so, For they are never silent, Their chatter rings in the day and, Closes the night with song.
I closed my eyes and waited, I opened my ears and held my breath, As I breathed out, there was one faint cry, One small, bird-word, spoken to the scene.
I heard it, and the bird knew I heard it. Finally, the suspense was stirred, And the silence broken, And I realized that the birds, Had been watching me, Daring not to peep, Daring not to shatter the silence.
I sat so still and dared not breath, I let that bird-word ring out into the air, And still it rings in my ears, Like a wind chime with the lovliest sound.
