LEVERTOV, Denise
What Wild Dawns There Were
What wild dawns there were
in our first years here
when we would run outdoors naked
to pee in the long grass behind the house
and see over the hills such streamers
such banners of fire and blue (the blue
that is Lilith to full day’s honest Eve) –
What feathers of gold under the morning star
we saw from dazed eyes before
stumbling back to bed chilled with dew
to sleep till the sun was high!
Now if we wake early
we don’t go outdoors – or I don’t –
and you if you do go
rarely call me to see the day break.
I watch the dawn through glass: this year
only cloudless flushes of light, paleness
slowly turning to rose,
and fading subdued.
We have not spoken of these tired
risings of the sun.