a silence of contrails
by valeri kathleen paxton-steele

a roar of indignation
in the silence of the air

not a plane in sight
no contrails marking the sky

a bitttersweet silence
a silence that cried safety

a silence fraught with paranoia
a silence so loud

we were able to whisper “freedom”
and be heard across america

we knew each others hearts
in the airline’s silences

while men dug and the city still burned
the grey people looked up

united in the silence
and prayed…