I sat so still and dared not breath,
For the sky and trees were quiet,
Too quiet, so that I began to wonder,
Where were the birds?
I watched and waited and still nothing,
Barely breathing so as not to distill the stillness,
I waited and watched -- not even a peep,
Shattered the evening silence.
There are no birds here,
I finally concluded, it must be so,
For they are never silent,
Their chatter rings in the day and,
Closes the night with song.
I closed my eyes and waited,
I opened my ears and held my breath,
As I breathed out, there was one faint cry,
One small, bird-word, spoken to the scene.
I heard it, and the bird knew I heard it.
Finally, the suspense was stirred,
And the silence broken,
And I realized that the birds,
Had been watching me,
Daring not to peep,
Daring not to shatter the silence.
I sat so still and dared not breath,
I let that bird-word ring out into the air,
And still it rings in my ears,
Like a wind chime with the lovliest sound.
