winter solstice (an apology)
winter solstice (an apology)
I've a house of centuries ago
with a twenty-five thousand tile roof
commodities are from before the great war
progress in its roughest of moods
there's miracle current in copper wires
I turn the switch with some fear
piped water comes out of an outside tap
never failing and always clear
my stove burns as fine on bottled gas
as the best of city street lighting
and around me the night is midwinterly quiet
owned by rooks and crows and the rare roaming soul
large rambling trees stand pre-christianly naked
rochepeau creeps uphill to the belt of orion
of neolithic solstice-offerings they murmur
the streams, the daughters of daughters of streams
I would miss the point if I was at your party
(Nerèt, Le Berry fr., dec/jan 2002/03)