Night comes and I stare

May 2, 2011 § Mark Jackley

by Mark Jackley

Night comes and I stare
at the spruce in my front yard.
It teeters in the breeze
like a shy dancer
holding the hem of her dress,
on the verge of leaping,
any second now,
towards dark applause.

{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }

Darla Himeles December 12, 2008 at 10:28 am

I love the spruce image; it’s proven to be quite memorable, as I see your shy dancer in my neighborhood, too. I imagine the dark applause as the windy sounds in the night, but there is a sinister undertone. I wonder about your title — is it about you staring, really, or about something else?

Mark Jackley December 15, 2008 at 11:59 am

Hi Darla,

Yes, you’re right about the dark undertone. The working title was “Shit Job,” so maybe that sheds some light. I guess the poem is about darkness and release, in whatever form you might seek it.

caroline Carter July 18, 2011 at 4:00 pm

Thank you for your poem, Night comes

Leave a Comment

Previous post:

Next post: