Copyright © Diane L. Schirf

Around me is silence
The silence of being,
of travail,
and of me.

Around me are hopes
Bold hopes for the future,
for great joy,
and for meaning.

Around me are whispers
The whispers of longing,
of untold dreams,
and of pain.

Around me are cries
The cries of despair,
of hopelessness,
and of fear.

Around me is silence
The silence of emptiness,
of the desert,
and of death.

Around me is nothing.
The end of joy and of pain.

1997