Thankful Silence

It is in the silence

Of an open house

That we find thanks-

That we acknowledge

The presence that

We have missed,

And realize the

Laughing sounds

Of earlier days

Are the ones we wish

To continue-

They are the ones

Ingrained in the structure

Of our mind’s library,

Picked and leafed through

A favorite novel

As we sit upon rocking chair

Moving this way and that

In the silence

Of a house left to

Relive and reflect

Upon moments we let pass

Slip through fingers

That were unknowing,

While our mind

A beautiful creation

Captured flickers,

Facial expressions

And sounds

To create a movie

Behind our eyelids

That we set over

An empty room,

An empty porch,

To fill a void

That we didn’t know

Existed-

It is in the silence

That we give thanks

For the ability to

Reflect, revise, revive

Our chemical balances

And well tuned thoughts,

Our word spinning

And dream weaving-

But it is in the silence

That we realize

What is missing

And discover a new side

Of the face in the mirror

A hidden dream

That we let live

Only for a brief moment.

Katrina Thornley is a nature poet and novelist that resides in Rhode Island. She has two poetry collections currently published, a novel, as well as a short story anthology. Her poetry collections "Arcadians: Lullaby in Nature" and "Arcadians: Wooden Mystics" were inspired by a local park and life in her small rural town. You can find them on Amazon now!

Also, be sure to give her a follow on Instagram (@seekatwrite).