—
I heard them
I heard them through the wall of my hotel room
muffled words at first
his
and hers
I heard them
then I didn’t
and my mind un-sprung
from the swiftness
of their silence
I heard nothing
but heard everything
through creaks and bumps
shaping into
rhythm
I swear I could hear
the slow pull of a zipper
her dress fall to the floor
as loud as thunder
I heard the choice
And in the silence
I heard her gasp
at the edge of surrender
I heard him pause
then take everything
And then I heard them
I heard the fury of voices
without words
I heard their indifference
to everything outside their walls
I heard them
over and over I heard
then muffled words
closing door
and silence
I heard them
I heard them through the wall of my hotel room
and in the silence
I heard everything
—
Photo: Getty Images
Hi Derek,
What exactly are you referring to here. I have an opinion about this piece, but first I’d like to know what you mean by, “knowing everything.”
Thanks,
Gary
Thanks for your question Gary. I wrote, “I heard everything,” (not knowing everything). What I mean, in this case, is that the silence can tell a story when it comes directly after words. I used it twice. The first time, silence swiftly follows muffled words, which implies that the couple is now having sex. The second time, is more general. In my mind, it is that the couple has made a choice (maybe it’s an affair?) and it is communicated in their silence (together and later apart). That said, it’s a poem and I believe the reader’s interpretation is just… Read more »