Tending at Night

Light spatters down like hard Summer rain
color and white hot and deep shadow stain
swirled and splashed through shimmering glass
like brass cymbals struck with hammers.

I am shaken with heat of these fiery days
and long to take hold of the clamorous rays
that bring tears to my eyes as they fly off of chrome
or gather and spill from flowers.

Reflect now on light with moon as its source;
quieting loud and softening coarse.
Like Mother's song and long, cool touch
this light allows breath and thought.

The sun falls below with faraway horn
one moment I die while evening is born
An echo of pounding out rhythm around
pulse halo across the sky.

When the first stars arise in deepening blue
the light having travelled for years is made new
and touching my heart subdues the days thunder
that motion can wholly be claimed.

I seek none to listen and heed no decree
as I gather my tools and night gathers me
While tasting this Earth and our dark tidal birth
I can finally toil serene.

Like swells on the Sea there are rhythms below
that my breath recites as I turn through the row
and the light off of Mars and from faraway stars
softly returns from the leaves.

The night breeze may carry the scent of a storm
which cloud-shadow moonlight could hasten to form
For water and soil and water and root
fulfill the dream of this time.

Sow life to the Earth and blanket with peat
Moist air settles sweetly in breath and in leaf
while the sound of the trowel against soil and stone
is food to my life and to seed.

I wonder the watcher that watches the skies
I wonder the foxfire and night winging sighs
Will the owl catch her prey or the mouse hide away
beneath stones by the deep water well?

The eyes of the watcher now rest upon me.
I finish this row and rise up off my knee.
There approaches a ringing, metallic and singing
and Eastward there promises flood!

When I hold my child and my belly is warm
I can't quite contain what pours into this form
Let me walk on the wire, take part in the fire
that grows the garden below.