Death From Silence

"Sticks and stones
may break my bones,
but words will never hurt me."

Though, I tell you this,
when I'm alone,
I know silence will kill me.

For silence can shatter
the confidence of a king,
and set the fire
of paranoia blazing.

Oh!
Shatter
and
Blaze
^{in ways you have never seen.}

No,
you will never hear
when the quiet approaches
on cat-footed shadows
to fill your ears.

See, sticks and stones
                          can break our bones,
if we let them,
                         words can wound us.
But the lack of words
                                   when we’re alone
can tear a man to pieces.