LISTEN TO THE QUIET

THE STILLNESS JUST HANGS IN THE AIR
LIKE A DUSTY COLORLESS THREAD
THAT IS NOT PART OF ANY FABRIC
IT DOES NOT BELONG
AND DOES NOT WANT TO.
IT IS NOT SEARCHING
IT JUST IS
BLOWN ABOUT BY EVERY WIND
AND GENTLE BREEZE
FIERCELY OR MONUMENTALLY-
THE STILLNESS
SILENTLY LAUGHS AT A JOKE.
CRUELNESS
IS AN AFTERTASTE
AN ATTACHMENT OPENS UP
THE ABYSS.
I DIVE INTO IT
IMMERSE MYSELF
I REACH OUT FOR THE THREAD.
THE STILLNESS JUST HANGS THERE.
BEFORE EACH BREATH
AN EXPERIENCE BETWEEN EACH THOUGHT
NEVER EXPRESSED OR SPOKEN.
NOT WANTING SHELTER.
THIS MEANINGLESS
BOTTOMLESS
STILLNESS
THAT SHATTERS EVERYTHING-
THAT SOMEHOW FORMS IT OUT OF NOTHINGNESS
PUTS IT INTO A PERMANENT DISSOLVING
SPACE.
SWALLOWS UP EVERY LIFE AND MEAL.
GUSHES ONWARD A MIGHTY RIVER
MASS OF BLOOD.
IT IS SO LOUD
THE LITTLE CRY OF WHATEVER
I WAS TRYING TO BE
CANNOT BE HEARD
OR EVEN FELT.
LISTEN TO THE QUIET!!!!!!!



THE STILLNESS OF THE POEM
PERVADES EVERYTHING.
IT IS THE LIFE
THAT DROPS THE BODY
LIKE A SNAKE SHEDS ITS SKIN
THAT MARCHES ON
THAT CANNOT BE KILLED
OR DIE.
DEATH TRY'S TO BEAT DOWN THIS POEM
RAM IT DOWN YOUR THROAT
STOP YOU!!
BUT THIS POEM
TRANSFORMS ITSELF
TAKES ITS LIFE
INTO A REALM
THAT MATTER DOES NOT COMPREHEND-
THAT LOGIC CANNOT EXPLAIN.

LISTEN TO THE QUIET.
THE ALL PERVADING EFFORTLESS
PROCESSION OF THE NOW.

LISTEN TO THE QUIET
THAT OUTLAST ALL MY PAIN.
THAT BREAKS ME IN HALF
AGAIN AND AGAIN.
THAT BUCKLES ME DOWN.
THAT SCARES THE HELL OUT OF ME.
THAT IS NAKED.
THAT DEMANDS MORE THAN I CAN GIVE.
LISTEN TO THE QUIET.
THAT WILL NOT LET ME REST.
THAT WILL NOT LEAVE ME ALONE.
THE DAMPNESS THAT SUCKS THE HEART
OUT OF ME-
THAT REDUCES THE PULSE
TO ZERO.

LISTEN TO THE QUIET.
THAT RAGES AND SCREAMS
WITHIN ME.
THAT IS HUMBLED.
THAT KNOWS THIS NASTY LITTLE SELF
IS AN ARTIFICE
A PRETENDER
THAT KNOWS ITS DAYS
ARE NUMBERED
WEARING DOWN.
THAT ONE BY ONE
PULLS OFF ITS MANY MASKS-
THAT TRIES TO SIMPLIFY
EVERYTHING
DOWN TO ONE.
ONE SPEECHLESS REALITY
THAT DOES NOT LET THE RICH IMAGE
STAND IN THE WAY OF THE TRUTH.
LISTEN TO THE QUIET
THAT DANCES WITH US
THAT FLOWS THROUGH
EVERY ARTERY AND NERVE
EVERY CELL.
SH-SH-
SH!!!!!!!!!.
YOU CAN HEAR IT
BEYOND THE BIRDS
EARLY MORNING CHIRPING.
YOU CAN FEEL IT
AS YOU LOOK THROUGH THE WINDOW
OF YOUR BALCONY
AS THE DAYLIGHT BEGINS
IN THE CHILL OF 5 AM.
THROUGH THE BRANCHES
OF THE EUCALYPTUS.
IT IS ALL PEOPLE
ALL THINGS
ALL EVENTS.
THIS QUIET
IS LOOKING THROUGH THE WORLD
TO THE THINGS UNSEEN.
LISTEN TO THE QUIET.

STEPHEN JOHN KALINICH © 2002
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED