solitude of silence

this solitude of silence has become a way of life for me...

i dare say even a friend to me.

it's not that I don't have anything to say, 

but rather lack of ears willing to hear...

in the meantime, 

i'll dream of the day we start talking to each other once again 

rather than at each other...

until then, I remain in solitude of silence...

#vss365

© January 14, 2025 | baccusbee 

(Words mine. Image created with Grok for image above and Nano Banana for image below using a collaborative process called synthography.)

As the deep freeze moves across most of the United States, I hope this poem finds you, dear reader, safe and warm.

Even though I've been publishing a poem a day since December 20th, it must appear I have a lot to say; but I really don't. In real life I'm actually a person of few words, opting to leave topics of discussion up to the person I'm talking to more and more these days and talking a lot less about myself. 

I say what I need to say in verse and share it with the poetry communities online. From my pen, to being set free online, they fly like birds being read by eyes at the right moment.

I want people to feel seen and heard. Not just heard, but to feel as though someone is genuinely actively listening. Hanging on to our deep listening skills and putting them to use seems like an essential and worthwhile accomplishment in our current time. 

We stopped listening to each other. Somewhere along the way, we ceased even trying to understand one another, and this is incredibly sad to me.

So often these days when people are meeting each other for the first time, the race is on to determine what you believe and stand for so they know if you're on their side (or not) and to determine if they want you in their circle. 

This used to bother me, now it doesn't even phase me. I don't take it to heart at all.

I saw the wisdom long ago in keeping a small circle. And I do.

We've ceased having a sense of compassion towards one another. Towards other humans in general, especially if they don't share the same beliefs. Again, this is incredibly sad.

Empathy is not a sin, it is the fuel that moves compassion in our hearts and makes us able to see the humanity in "others". 

It's valid to note, a form of pseudo-empathy, weaponized in our recent times by both sides, calling people to draw lines in the sand on situations they don't have a full line of sight into or all the facts in order to make informed decisions. This partitions meaningful human connection and builds fences between us. It's manipulation of the highest degree. Milking emotions and pulling them in the way they want you to go. Look how it's swayed our society and torn it in two. 

I don't fall on either side of the aisle. I stand in the middle understanding how useful my left and my right foot are for navigating me through life. Genuinely, I'm grateful for both of them! 

Our hearts have left and right chambers. 

I could go on and on.

If you're curious about how this 'middle path' looks for me or how I ended up here, I share more of that journey in 'Through the Narrow Gate' on Medium.

I am a friend of God.

I am a friend of humanity.

I see God in all of humanity.

The Kingdom of God is in me 

just like it is in you.

Thanks for reading this far.

When I think of snow, I think of Grace,  may we all have grace in our lives and show it towards each other.

Maybe listen a little more too.

baccus bee