With the Moon Near Full

Black woods, blue ground     the hills and their shadows

in the semigloss of night with the moon near full,

moonlight a wax of sadness     evenly spread

over the peopled township     over the fields and banyards

abandoned and quiet under dim stars     the few who must

standing in frost     its dark glitter     unaware of each other,

must because the past     the worst of it     awaits in dreams,

aging strangers     constellated grass     lone riders

drifitng with the planet     into the ruinous forever,

the semigloss of night with the moon near full,

black woods, blue ground     the hills and their shadows.