Love Poem: If Silence Was a Language
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Written by: John O'Brien

If Silence Was a Language

If Silence Was a Language

If silence was a language you could understand, 
You would hear me shouting, screaming, announcing for all to hear, 
‘I LOVE YOU!!!’

If silence was a language you could understand,
You would hear me praising you, declaring with each silent look,
‘I’m proud of you’, ‘I trust you’, ‘I believe in you.’

If silence was a language that you could understand,
You would hear me cheering you on, as with each new experience or season,
‘You can do this’, ‘You’ve got what it takes’, ‘I’m here if you need me.’

If silence was a language you were fluent in,
You’d catch the nuanced meaning, the subtle expression of respect,
Behind each silent day that goes by, so as not to distract with clumsy words.

But, just maybe, silence IS a language you can understand,
And you DO hear me, loving you, praising you, respecting you,
Trusting and believing in you, cheering you on and standing behind you.

Of course, silence is a language so often misunderstood or completely overlooked, 
Drowned out by the clamor of busy lives, of many words, 
Or whirling thoughts that make it hard to listen.

So, I risk a bit of repetition by stating plainly, in words that even I can understand,
That you are precious in my eyes, a jewel of great worth,
A daughter that makes me so very proud to be called your father. I love you!