A question of words

Of course the universe
           is anything but silent
and yet nature
           has contrived
on this earth at least
           to create spaces and moments
of absolute peace and quiet
           places of solitude
in which the mind may graze
           on its own feelings
and be thankful for the lack
           of intrusion or interference

And the question always arises
           why words why the voice
why the web of language
           that seems to hold our world
together and without which
           we might cease to exist
such as we are : verbal creatures
           who build lives around clusters
of utterances some superficial
           other binding to the core
in which we tell our truth
           and shame the devil we know
and make vows upon which our very lives
           our very loves depend

John Lyons