New Moon

Summary

This evening

the temperature drops

and the air is clear of rain.

The clip of moon

with its attendant hoop

like the bright-ringed bottom of a pan

catches an ember of winter sun

and you can

almost hear it – a sky-note rung

in the ear, at the finger-tips,

on the back of the tongue.

In the valley

the streetlight's cupped votives scatter

into the hills

and high above the town

the bank of cumulous

volcanoes.

One-by-one,

then in a rush – stars – a multitude

of eyes,

nocturnal creatures

lighting the dark wood.