The silence of the house when you’re away,
Each room devoid of the sun’s bright rays,
No indication of life around.
Each room a vacuum of unheard sound.

The silence in my head when you’re away,
Each thought is shelved; nothing to say.
Things to do, but no cause to act.
Motivation numb, no energy, just slack.

The silence of my heart when you’re away,
Held in suspension, each beat at bay.
The blood stagnant, no where to go,
A dam of emotion diverts the flow.

The feel of the house when you are here
No strange noises, no shadows to fear.
The rooms quiet, yet fragrant and warm.
Coffee’s brewing, no need for alarms.

The sounds of my head when you are here
Awaken my thoughts, senses are clear.
Plans to make, organize the day,
Things to do, so we can go play.

The sounds in my heart when you are here
Echos of joy from peels of loud cheer,
Pulsing, pounding, life’s blood resumes,
A rush of love my body consumes.

Source of Inspiration for When You’re Away
The years with your children, growing as a family, pass so quickly.  Then you and your mate are thrown into the “empty nest phase”.  It takes some getting use to at first.  Then those familiar feelings and special moments before the children came along resurface.  A wonderful closeness reappears with a comfortable love and close companionship.  Unfortunately, work will necessitate brief periods of travel.  During one such occasion, the quiet and loneliness of the house prompted me to write this poem to my husband.  I emailed the poem to him so he would have it to read when he answered his email the following morning.  It’s always nice when he comes home and those familiar sounds and sights resume.  And love goes on.