(perhaps)

Perhaps he sang a song,

We never heard

And if he did

In silent voice

–so far, so near—

The waves of soundless sound

Turned from the wall

Of our resistant inner ear,

And like the Little Prince

In a lonely desert

Vanishing without a trace,

Left us bereft

Strangely inconsolable

Yearning for some unknown

Some perfect word

Perhaps he sang a song

We should have heard