Waiting in the quiet places

Waiting in the quiet places Soft in shadows, glimpsing faces Storing and imploring Come the quickened steps Advance advance Turns the daylight round again Softly home, and loudly roam Don’t dread the silence, son Just get your time in before it’s done Repeating repeat repeating Sleeting sheer across my hand the sands Draw dim the close with him to watch me Hand upon the lightswitch Dreaming of a better place So far as better is concerned Second only after minute Turned away again Speak to me of better times Sing to me of kinder rhymes Don’t forget the place from which you’ve been Just start again Striking out upon a blazing path Pondering the gruesome aftermath Wondering what all of it is for Try to reach, but never open up the door Spin the tale of dark and pale each in their frailty It assails thee, strike, and gone. Mark Burton Monday, September 23, 2002, 5:02 A.M.