The Word Is...

The word is
 welcome
and so it begins
with first words, first sights,
and all the initial grins

The word is
 commencement
and so it goes on
then it goes and keeps going
on, and on, and on

The word is
  intensity
burning hot, bright, and fast
glowing without knowing
that this will never last

The word is
  endurance
as long as it can last
trying to out-live
the shadows growing from its past

The words go on
 like these and many others
not words so much our own
but words as one-anothers'

Then the word is
  over
when there aren't any more
and its time to slip silently
through that final closing door

If there were other words
 words to last, and not on loan
it would be best to keep them quiet
and leave them safe at home

So hush now, it'll soon be
  over
and at the end of this old song
we'll find again the silence
that sang with us all along

And the word will be
  silence
unspoken, but felt so strong
by all those left within it
searching for words to carry on