My first visit to the Hoh Rain Forest was
with someone who hurried through,
filling the air with sound. We never got
out of the car.
On my second visit I was able to wander
for hours along silent trails. The old trees,
dense and dripping with foliage, seemed
to absorb sound. I notice my reluctance
to speak mirrored in others I encounter.
After days of this quiet, my psyche and
feelings of good will towards others are
shattered when I encounter a middle-
aged couple hiking along, music blasting
from their portable speaker.