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
