ADVENT: SILENCE

ADVENT: SILENCE by Timothy Haut
Tick. Tick. Tick. Through the darkness The soft beat Of the wall clock downstairs Measures the span Of another night, Matches the beating Of my heart Which may still keep its own tick, tick, tick, for yet a while Before the greater silence, The final mystery. I am awake tonight Alert to the shadow sounds Of clock and heart And a wisp of wind beyond the window. It is an Advent stillness, Stirred by haunting dreams, Or old, untended fears. Then a voice from past journeys, Or a child I have forgotten, Calls me to wakefulness. I wait for the creak of a door, Listen for almost familiar footsteps, Expect the quiet sound of someone Who cannot wait for morning. I sense a dark intruder, a holy stranger seeking me in this deep silence. He, too, has heard the calling of my heart. Tick tick tick. (Comments to Tim at timothyhaut@yahoo.com.) Deep River, CT