«A Quiet Arithmetic» by Nigel Byng (Pt. 2 of When The Trees Fell Silent A collection of poems)
«A Quiet Arithmetic» by Nigel Byng (Pt. 2 of When The Trees Fell Silent A collection of poems)
The Liberators wore colors
And spoke the language of my oppressor
Desperate to breathe the air of liberty
I inhaled the rust of chains now sworn to protect.
Shackles need not bruise
Count the invisible wounds as you cruise
On by in luxury to experience wild living.
A home once graced the prairie.
Lovers once carved names in Immortelle.
Children skipped the unbeaten paths
To the sound of school bells.
The liberators left
And so did the water
Wild as prairie dogs, we chased after
The hum of giant storks that brought food,
Drifting downward slowly from God’s hands.
The liberators left
and a final generation stayed
Too weak, too sick, too lost.
All that remains are the wild plains
Count the invisible wounds as you cruise
Battles may scar and bruise,
But the aftermath leaves no clues
And no one is counting ghosts.
© Nigel Byng, 2026
Read Part 1 here
«When The Trees Fell Silent» A collection of poems by Nigel Byng
Writer, poet, storyteller, Byng’s words move from quiet domestic moments to global, socially conscious truths. His stories and poems explore love, memory, morality, and the human experience with lyrical precision and emotional punch. Contributor to top anthologies and creator of the Exploring Poetry series, his debut collection, The Drifter, The Prodigal, The Last Son, is one to watch.
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