The following poem was written for my writing group and was inspired by a line from the poem "Famous" by Naomi Shihab Nye http://www.poetryoutloud.org/poem/177521
"The loud voice is famous to silence,
which knew it would inherit the earth
before anybody said so." - Naomi Shihab Nye
Silence waits patiently to be heard,
while the loud voice clamors on
like a room full of pre-schoolers.
It must be hard being silent
waiting for the world to catch hold to the idea
that there might be tremendous gifts found in the stillness.
The loud voice
use to getting all the attention
hasn't figured out yet
that its days are numbered
and that just maybe we are all a bit weary from the noise
In our restlessness we could use a little peace
a few moments a day to sit in stillness
if not completely without thought
then to at least watch quietly as the thoughts float by
no judgment
no criticism
just a faint awareness
as if watching clouds
Oh how sweet the sound
peace and stillness
the restless wondering put to bed
finally
Fame is after all a fickle mistress
what was once in vogue must take a back seat
eventually
to the newest trend
Silence as a revolutionary act
silence as the older sister
to the loud voice
knows that everything must change
and the loud voice must grow up
and grow on
and find a peaceful way to co-exist
with her older sister
the other side of herself.
- Eleanor D. Gaston 10/23/2011
