Silence is Deadly

The silence of a belt loop
before it cracks

The silence between violence
Before she shouts back

The silence in a young boy’s heart
That’s aching

Once the bully’s smacked him round the face
And everyone’s watching

The silence in longing
For a girl who doesn’t feel it

The silence in the lies
Of a friend who doesn’t mean it

The silence in your father’s voice
When it’s hard for him to speak

And the silence in your mother
When she’s broken and weak

The silence in a hurt man’s heart
And the silence before the torrent

When another breaks another down
Without any warrant

The silence of history
And those deprived of a voice

And the silence of the desperate
When they don’t have a choice

The silence does us violence
And the hurt just circles round

Like sharks around a wounded whale
Before the vortex pulls it down

There’s so much blood in the water
I can taste it on my tongue

Please, raise your head up, speak your mind
Sing your beautiful songs