Alan Fox

CONSIDER THE SILENCE

That open space which goes all the way back
to the beginning from the beginning
until you knew, a little at first
then more, then now.

Consider the silence which starts
when you don’t think any more
and first by second stretches
from there to far away.

Yet the silence which screams
begins when you first knew
will end when you do
and blankets the days and nights of your life.

—from Rattle #35, Summer 2011