Winter Night
by
Robert H. Dirr Jr.
The afterglow of dusk trickles through alleys and among the debris
Cast off by creatures of the day, while fragile spirits in attendance
Patiently anticipate the glimmering ruddiness of a tainted moon.
Darkness sprawls below trees and past shadows while the sky folds,
As a locked away hound weeps for the bereavement of captivity.
Nightmares creep and daydreams dissolve into trepidation and the
Background matches the beating of a pulsating and ceaseless clock.
I am old and worn, like a fingered rosary, with little to see or say
That would change the nothingness drizzling everywhere but here.
The snow has curdled like soft wet cotton, and illuminates the gloom
Of this nocturnal world. Butterfly smiles and bouquets of embraces
Replace frozen dreams and fading delights while burning logs soften
Chilled bones that quiver from the hoary breath of winter's domain.
I close my eyes and see two souls in a meadow of blossoms amid faint
Daylight and transparent clouds, seeking warmth from the healing sun.
In retrospect I have often contemplated nights without you, but then,
Clarity often comes with the stillness and silence of waking up alone.
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