A Box Of Silence (Poetry)

We bought a box of silence
opened with due care
unrolled and spread it thickly
into corners everywhere

It settled and got comfy
the dust allowed it soak
but all too soon the minutes stretched
it thin until it broke

We gathered scraps between us
and tried to glue it back
but found some bits were missing
noise wormed in through each crack

Our sound-proofing imperfect
although quieter in the main
along with earplugs failed to come
as close to peace again

So we didn’t buy another box —
too fragile and too dear
since new neighbours came from Bedlam
silence struggles around here