The Quiet World, Jeffrey McDaniel

In an effort to get people to look

                                             into each other’s eyes

 more,

the government has decided to allot

each person exactly                                one hundred

and sixty-seven words, per day.

When the phone rings, I put it

to my ear without saying                                           hello.               

In the restaurant I point

at chicken noodle soup.


I am







adjusting

                                                            

well to the new way.

Late at night, I call my long distance lover and proudly say

I only used fifty-nine today.

I saved the

rest

 for you.

When she doesn’t respond, I know
                                                 she’s used up all her words

so I slowly whisper

I love you

thirty-two and a third times.
                                             After that, we just sit on the line


and

 listen to each other breathe.

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