falling into night
day wanes
slowly in Saluda
sunlight sifts air
feathers whisper
under pale lit sky
hammock becalmed
swims butterflies
river over rock
river over rock
there
light fades
tin roof glinting
trilling chameleon tail
now you see it
now you don’t
river over rock
river over rock
woods full under half moon
sliced cleaver straight
like gram cut her pumpkin pie
this world
the other world
glimpsed like fairy feet
moon cool dips frog pond
whippoorwill song
light falling into tomorrow
river over rock
river over rock
they read the tarot
that afternoon
at Betsy’s kitchen table
two friends
listen
hear that
baby birds
those are baby birds
river over rock
river over rock
white half moon
pale in the gloaming
wings flapping
owl over road
swooping low
river over rock
river over rock
cottage side yard
meadowlike
cupped in woods
there
it falls
the dark
and the lawn
fills with fireflies
fat bright fireflies
blink
blink
blink
and over there
more
river over rock
river over rock
moon bright now against black
owl
moon
alone
but for the black bear
napping in day lilies
river over rock
river over rock
river over rock
river over rock
………………Nan Lundeen
The poet is grateful to the College of Charleston’s Illuminations where “falling into night” first appeared.