Ode to the quiet in your neighborhood

The quiet
in your neighborhood
is a living quiet,
filled with regular,
consistent sounds,
and intermittent sounds
that accentuate
the quiet.

There is
just enough noise
to remind us
that we’re living
in a living world,
but not enough
to distract us
when we’re lost
in conversation.

I remember I heard
you complain
about the morning cars
that pass on the street,
and I was surprised,
not by the cars
that didn’t bother me,
but because
I had so rarely
heard you complain.