Hello darkness, my old friend 
 [bad word] to talk with you again 
Because a vision softly creeping 
Left its seeds while I was sleeping 
And the vision that was planted in my brain 
Still remains 
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 night 
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 that voices never share 
And no one dared 
Disturb the sound of silence 

"Fools", said I, "You do not know 
Silence like a 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 prophets are written on the subway walls 
And tenement halls" 
And whispered in the sounds of silence