Silent Answer (by Christina M. Brooks)
Christina Brooks at Lix & Kix 3 in Cleveland on 16 December 2008
[photo by Jesus Crisis]
silent answer
it was there all along
though I did not see it
did not want to see it
the signs, the long pauses
the unanswered questions
the non-committal replies
in every syllable and nuance
that you didn't speak
I should have known
should have…
the poignant silence
punctuated your every reply
it was so apparent, always there
why could I not see it?
it deafened me, is that why
it took so long to finally hear?
you said so very much
without even uttering
a single word
it was all there, in retrospect
always
in everything you chose
to never say
in every reply you
chose to never make
the ever present answer I'd been seeking
to the question I was so afraid to ask
your silent answers finally said it all.
©2008 by c.m. brooks
For more by Detroit-area poet Christina Brooks, a.k.a. Rune Warrior, please check out her blog.
Other places where Christina's work appears include 10K Poets and issue 23 of The City Poetry.
Visit Christina Brooks on MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/runewarrior1
Posted by Jesus Crisis at 12/23/2008 10:12 AM 
Categories: 2000s, Writing, Brooks (Christina), American
Categories: 2000s, Writing, Brooks (Christina), American
Very nice piece, Chris. It's very zen--I especially like the lines it deafened me, is that why
it took so long to finally hear?. I'm very happy to see you in the Chronicles Online Library; congrats on being published here! And thank you, JC, for another fine entry on (in? to?) the Library, which has definitely become one of my favorite places to spend quality time.
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Thanks for your feedback, Dianne, and thanks to Chris for allowing me to feature some of her poetry in the Library. When I first read this piece a month or so, it knocked me out. When I was going back through my favorites trying to decide what to post today, it knocked me out again. That made up my mind.
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Thank you for the opportunity of featuring me in the On-Line Library.. I think there are others that deserve it more than I and I have said so...
Many other fine Ohio poets and others.. and I know you will be adding them as time permits.
My work is gradually improving... I appreciate your support and encouragement...
I do find it interesting you picked this particular piece... it has an interesting history.
Thanks again... it is very, very much appreciated.
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Chris's poetry and writings express a lot of her thoughts and inner feelings so I really can relate to it. I think this shows real talent in writing and use of her words and images. Read it twice and find how deep this goes.
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Thanks for your comment, Elena!
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