Let’s be very quiet
this year — no words.

If there’s an answer called for,
let our askers wait for it.

If they insist,
we should walk away.

If we cannot walk away,
let’s stare back without a sound

and watch them wriggle
in their seats,

trying to figure out 
how they’ll get by

without us engaged
in answering only

the questions 
they choose.

So many questions
and answers

remain unheard,
including our own;

let’s be very quiet.
Let’s listen to those.

Let’s be quiet.
There have been

enough words from us;
anything we need to say is

already out there
on the wind.  In the air.

On the sidewalks.
In the streets. In the spaces

between their questions
and their desired answers.