THE FIRST TIME FIRST TIME I heard her I was sitting at the table I heard her I was sitting at the table eating some marzipan Suddenly there was a rustling eating some marzipan Suddenly there was a rustling in my ear I tried to wiggle it out with my finger in my ear I tried to wiggle it out with my finger After taking another bite I heard soft whispering After taking another bite I heard soft whispering I looked left at the clicking radiator and right I looked left at the clicking radiator and right at the aquarium Down at my bare feet and up at the aquarium Down at my bare feet and up at the cuckoo clock The house was full at the cuckoo clock The house was full of noises But none of them whispered of noises But none of them whispered like this like this
Brother Brother I stopped chewing It sounded miles away but close too I stopped chewing It sounded miles away but close too Shut your eyes the little voice shouted straining to be heard Shut your eyes the little voice shouted straining to be heard I blinked and took a deep breath Mom was cutting up I blinked and took a deep breath Mom was cutting up cucumber in the kitchen Dad was reading the paper cucumber in the kitchen Dad was reading the paper Cover your ears Cover your ears I cupped my hands and pressed them against the sides of my head I cupped my hands and pressed them against the sides of my head The cucumber slices fell silently The cucumber slices fell silently The newspaper had stopped crinkling The newspaper had stopped crinkling That was when I knew it was her That was when I knew it was her
Nobody can call as quietly as my big sister Her loudest Nobody can call as quietly as my big sister Her loudest scream is just a sigh Her loudest yell no more scream is just a sigh Her loudest yell no more than the breathing a cat than the breathing of a cat
