Sunday, September 30, 2018

MICHAEL HELLER ~








Orion In December

                            Charles Burchfield's painting and note

"tortured by a multitude of thoughts,"


he lay awake, looking at luminous sky


"black studded caves" of night


first two emerging stars


then a third, Orion's belt


"peace and comfort"


came with recognition,


with resolution and familiarity,


"some Being saying 'All is well' "


                                                 .   .   .



This night, Orion


enormous in the East


—tremulous sky


pines dark

against starlight

—the constellations


no longer testify

even as they offer

"diadems"


the word cries out

thrall of space


but legato to emptiness


learning


that brought us close,


companionate


with loneliness


even as we pointed


to clustered stars


in those dark nights,


soulless nights


of stellar distances



————————

Michael Heller
DIANOIA
Night boat Books
2016