The silence of God
is the hymn of the sky
the warm embrace of sunlight
solace to a weary soul;
it is in the wind’s chant
the chorus laughter of birds
the smile of dawn to counter
the monotony of our days.
It is the gentle whisper of the night
the quiet hope of morning
to still the cluttered voices
in our minds;
it is the love in the heart of God
oblivious of our unfaithfulness
or the nuance of grief
that holds a promise,
a taste of joy.
Oh, God’s silence
is the anguish of the poor
the discourse of the earth for justice
its deepest desire for truth
or eternity in a moment
of prayer.
Marietta Lea B. Rosana hails from Tabaco City, Philippines. She is an educator, lawyer and a retired judge in one of the Philippine lower courts. Prior to her appointment in the judiciary, she practiced as a lawyer for sixteen years with a focus on human rights and legal counseling and continues to practice law in her retirement. Her passion for literature, especially poetry, began when she was in high school and, while it took a back seat during her legal career, writing poetry is now her favorite pastime. She firmly believes that poetry serves as the soul of a nation, and that it can strengthen one’s faith. Recurrent themes in her poetry are silence, hope, beauty, justice and God’s love. Her poems have been published in various national magazines, including the Philippine Graphic Magazine and Philippine Journal of Education, as well as the Manila Daily Bulletin (Bulletin Today), a national newspaper.