The Toll of Silence

She came as a friend,
her voice veiled,
how the hell'd I get here?
That's what she asked.

My teacher's voice, long dead now, whispered,
behind every question is the shy one,
only silence woos the soul.
That's what he said.

I chose to yield.

After minutes like years,
her voice rent,
this is not the life I'd planned.
That's what she meant.


I said yeah, me neither.
She held surprise, we laughed,
then the quarter-hour chimed.
That's when her question returned.