The days that spend you
subdue you like evening light,
worn out hours surrendered, poured,
yearnings yielded, visions bare
as barren winter branches where
solemn birds alight to pick clean last colour
from brittle bone.
Then suddenly, from nowhere and everywhere a flush
of sunlight shakes the boughs awake. rifling rays
fray haunted clouds, unravel dormant dreams
streamed with ashes and dust on overcast floors,
miscellany, paper trails, broken jars,
sink peelings, laden stairs, burdened, heavy, unconscious things.
And there the stark clay earth,
kiln fired to gold and trembling,
wakes naked and sinless.
A newborn, startled from sleep.
