In the silence between the dipping
Of a morsel of bread, and
A taking
—a heart turns to darkness
In the silence between the giving
Of a kiss, and
A command
—a betrayal of all that is good
In the silence between the drawing
Of swords, and
A scattering
—a giving up of hope
In the silence between the accusation
Of, You too were with him, and
A denial
—a glance across a courtyard
In the Praetorium, between the question:
What is truth? and
A departure
An unbearable feeling of sorrow
—the silence.
Tony Solomon converted to Catholicism after twenty-five years as a Baptist. He co-owns Heyford Books, in Northamptonshire, England, and has a renewed interest in T S Eliot.