Hello darkness, my old friend Ive come to talk with you again Because a vision softly creeping Left its seeds while I was sleeping And the vision that was planted in my brain Still remains within the sound of silence ***************************** In restless dreams I walked alone Narrow streets of cobblestone Neath the halo of a street lamp I turned my collar to the cold and damp When my eyes were stabbed By the flash of a neon light That split the night And touched the sound of silence ***************************** And in the naked light I saw Ten thousand people, maybe more People talking without speaking People hearing without listening People writing songs That voices never share And no one dare Disturb the sound of silence ************************ Fools, said I, you do not know Silence like a cancer grows Hear my words that I might teach you Take my arms that I might reach to you rnBut my words like silent raindrops fell And echoed in the wells of silence ****************************** And the people bowed and prayed To the neon God they made And the sign flashed out its warning And the words that it was forming And the sign said: The words of the prophets Are written on the subway walls rnAnd tenement halls And whispered in the sound of silence.