A Trick of Light

Everything slips out of sight in sunlight-
Names give up claims to a
Hoary white fame on granite plaques,
Sea-licked sweat spreads an invisible shroud
A broken heart ties its hair up and gets to work
A parched throat sings out aloud.

Everything grows bright in streetlight-
Homeward feet kick up a golden dust
Haloes happy faces and softens mouths drawn tight,
Red-eyed foursomes of wheels fall into line
Bouncing beads eased down a blinking twine,
Mealtime windows, lighted pinpricks
Incandescent rectangles flash past like card tricks
.
Everything is a plaint in the starlight-
Ghee-wicked hopes cry out for repose,
Piligrim palms have long doused earthen vows
Ship decks pour down rippling tributes of gold
Wait their illusive turn at the port hold,
Tree shade lays a heavy hand on my shoulder,
And in degrees its consolation grows colder.

Everything disbelieves at night-
Longing blinks to life and lifts a sneaky eyebrow
When in crimson warning the blankets glow,
Wrapt in the quilted scab of sleep,
I cannot tell from whither these serpents creep
Love’s first winnings and dice of delusions yet unrolled.
Are entwined in their sweet spiral stranglehold