The Sounds of Silence

Somewhat belatedly

I discovered a new treasure,

which was Disturbed's cover

of "The Sound of Silence,"

which is a masterpiece.

A completely inexplicable one.

But that's what it's all about,

really,

how you're meant 

to understand the world

around you,

in all the ways

that aren't spelled out,

in all the silence,

in Silence, a book

and as a film,

a desperate yearning

to understand

why you should be believe

when all you hear

is silence,

when it's all a matter of faith

in a world

that seems so unjust,

where you're supposed to believe

that if you pray

things will work out,

and yet that's not faith,

that's not Catholic faith,

and never was,

and I'm sorry if that's what

you believed

and need to believe

or you won't believe,

because that's not what it is,

but rather

coming to grips

with a world

that will go out of its way

to alienate you

at every turn,

and still believe

there's worth in it,

that there's value

in the struggling cries

of an infant

who needs you

who needs you

who needs you

to fill in the space

around its needs

and help it appreciate

silence

but not always need it.