The Silence Poem by Paul Burt

Is this a dream?
Is this a message?
Is this a bad joke I don't get the punchline to yet?

Life moving by yet no sound is heard
I could stood next to a bomb and still not hear the explosion

I crave to hear the sound of a bird chirping.
The sound of children playing
The voices of the people who I care about

To hear what people are saying
The sounds of laughter
All these things I see but the silence mutes all

Yet the silence also gives me peace
Free from all the noise that use to annoy me
Free from hearing other people's problems
Life becomes a 24 hour silent movie.

It's a double edge sword
I miss the sounds
Yet I enjoy the silence
Maybe that's the punchline to the joke.