The Sound of Silence

-          Paul Simon (1941- )

(This poem brings to mind Moses walking down Mt. Sinai to find the Israelites worshipping the golden calf. The neon God worshipped by modern civilization represents the idol of the spiritually misled people. The persona in the poem is a visionary who warns against the lack of spiritual seriousness in modern people.)

The speaker talks to Darkness. He says a vision (thought) secretly entered his mind when he was asleep. The thought is still in his mind. It comes in his mind in peace.

In his dream, the speaker walked alone along the narrow stone-paved street. He found a street lamp. His eyes were dazzled by the brightness of the neon light. The speaker saw, in the light, many people who were talking without speaking and hearing without listening. It means the people were not serious in their businesses. The people were writing songs never to be sung because no one dared disturb the sound of silence. They were not ready to share the ideas to each other. So, nobody questioned the established dogmas.

 The speaker says that he scolded the people saying ‘fools’. The speaker also says that the silence grows like a cancer. He was ready to teach and help the people. But nobody showed any kind of willingness to ask or get help. They remained silent.

The people had built the idol, a non-living representation, of God. They bowed to the idol and prayed. But they lacked spiritual seriousness. The Holy sayings are written on the subway walls and tenement halls. Nobody understands and follows them sincerely. Nobody questions the dogmas and the sayings of wise men. People do not keep their belief upon god in their heart but on the walls and halls.