Hello darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I wa-as sleeping
And the vision that was planted
In my brain, still remai-ains
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 ni-ight
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 tha-at voices
Never share, and no one dare-are
Disturb the sound of silence

Fools said I, you do not know
Silence like the cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you
But 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
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said The words of the prophet
Are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls
And whispered in the sounds of silen