When a child falls
through an open window,
It falls in silence.

No one knew it was going to happen.
The day was warm with
sun and adolescence.

Everyone had their windows open
to welcome the mid-day breeze.
They invited it inside
for a tour of their homes
to alleviate the late August heat.

Maybe this is what distracted them.
Maybe it was the cracks of sticks
snapping under my feet.
The chains of swings sending
boys to impossible heights.

Or maybe it was the birds
that cried their final goodbyes
as summer turned into dying leaves.

All of these sounds must have
stormed into the room,
deafening the protectors inside.

Because when a child falls
through an open window,
It falls in silence.

It picks up speed as it brushes
the second floor window,
until it meets the grass
with a helpless thump.

And the chains stop squeaking.
Footsteps become standstill.
Laughter fades away
into an unfamiliar mute.

Silence becomes the sound
of my playground dreamland.