there're a thousand shades of silence
in this city's wee morning hours
when all the sound could be drowned out
by the faintest of spring showers
each silence can be interpreted
by a person of some expertise
the cop's silence is a din of dread
that can fell one to his knees
hush to the optimist tells him that
among millions, no one is dying
no sirens tells the pessimist
that silence is sometimes lying
silence tells the worrying parent
that they've forgotten to breathe
it tells the strung-out junkie
that the world has ceased to be
