Silhouettes Don't Speak

The way the light hits the ground
leads to the sudden appearance
of shadows upon your frame,
and your wisps of white hair
are made whiter by the sunlight.

I stare at your silhouette,
realizing that the more years go by,
the more of a shadow
you are becoming to me.

We are distanced by generations,
browbeaten by past mistakes
and family secrets.
You've learned to keep your words safe
in the womb of your mouth,
occasionally making use
of the rolling "r"s
of your native tongue.

But,
we are also connected by
the language of poetry and inkstains
that courses deep through our veins,
by the Navajo stories I still see
etched in the corner of your eyes,
by the withered hands that have
forgotten how to use a pen.

And yet, it is not enough
to have you sitting so silently.
And yes, I crave more.

So I walk towards you now, and
reach for your hand. 
Silhouettes don't speak,
and I don't intend them to,
but they're always there
to listen.

Reviews

[Nihad Dweidary]

Personal, beautiful, and heartfelt. A wonderful perspective of what great minds think of the progress of time and the generation's gap as it pertains to one's personal story. Amazing!

We are distanced by generations,
browbeaten by past mistakes
and family secrets.
You've learned to keep your words safe
in the womb of your mouth,
occasionally making use
of the rolling "r"s
of your native tongue.

I love these lines. I simply love them. -Nihad

[Shannon K.]

A beautiful thing you have produced here. Grandmothers are a precious thing, you only have limited numbers, or number. Very great job here.
S.k.

[Jessica Standifird]

The coda made me smile. The poems I've read tonight seem to focus on the silent bonds between people. The unspoken connections. I felt like I was peering over the narrator's shoulder and listening to them recite the poem.

[Abhra]

Another wonderful poem!!! Loved reading it! I have suffered her death recently. And this one strikes a chord somewhere. Thanks for sharing this piece.
Cheers-Abhra

[Katie B]

A wonderful poem about your grandmother. I think in this fast paced world we tend to live in the now instead of learning about our past or even take a moment to sit with those we care about. I like how you realize that you haven't taken the moment to sit with her, not just to speak with her, just to be with her. Very nicely written