"Gift" by Leonard Cohen

"Gift" by Leonard Cohen

     You tell me that silence
is nearer to peace than poems
but if for my gift
I brought you silence
(for I know silence)
you would say
     This is not silence
this is another poem
and you would hand it back to me.



So, guys. I have no idea where to even start with this poem. Help.
The only thing that comes to mind is the notion of poetry in silence... Thoughts, maybe? Emotion? An idea that "silence" is like poetry in that a silence cannot exist between two people without thoughts and emotion, which are the cornerstones of poetry?

What do you guys think?