My Noiseless Entourage poem by Charles Simic read by Jeffery Oliver

My Noiseless Entourage

We were never formally introduced.
I had no idea of their number.
It was like a discreet entourage
Of homegrown angels and demons
All of whom I had met before
And had since largely forgotten.

In time of danger, they made themselves scarce.
Where did they all vanish to?
I asked some felon one night
While he held a knife to my throat,
But he was spooked too,
Letting me go without a word.

It was disconcerting, downright frightening
To be reminded of one's solitude,
Like opening a children's book---
With nothing better to do---reading about the stars,
How they afford to spend centuries
Traveling our way on a glint of light.

- Charles Simic from "My Noiseless Entourage: Poems"