April 11, 2024

From the Long, Sad Party

by Mark Strand 
 
Someone was saying 
something about shadows covering the field, about 
how things pass, how one sleeps towards morning 
and the morning goes. 
 
Someone was saying 
how the wind dies down but comes back, 
how shells are the coffins of wind 
but the weather continues. 
 
It was a long night 
and someone said something about the moon shedding its
    white 
on the cold field, that there was nothing ahead 
but more of the same. 
 
Someone mentioned 
a city she had been in before the war, a room with two
    candles 
against a wall, someone dancing, someone watching. 
We began to believe 
 
the night would not end. 
Someone was saying the music was over and no one had
    noticed. 
Then someone said something about the planets, about the
    stars, 
how small they were, how far away.

No comments: