Sunday, May 4, 2014

That Night




That night 

on that late eve in autumn the porch light was bright
barefoot small standing on the wood slats that night
she stood near the swing clutching the heavy cold chain
fled the strange broken faces, that house pulsing pain
she stood in the gold illume - the only thing as before
until that wavered as flame, flashed and life was no more
the porch light is dead” – she called reedy voice small
but no one came – no one but night – no one at all
and night fell as a solid raining of impossible things 
dismembered chunks of blackbird broken wings
banging her head, brushing cheeks, those cold feet bare
she a small night-gowned figure alone waiting there
in a moment sure that someone would as always - arise
quick steps would come arms lift her with sleepy sighs
the porch light is dead” she called into the night   
only the rasp of dead feathers drifted ebon unright
as she stood shock still and watched normal take flight
born of wings fallen, now gathered, dread flying free
as a cat now with clear visioned eyes she could see
that nothing would ever return- ever- as it was meant to be
  

34 comments:

  1. One of my favorites of yours, Pearl. I especially like this line:

    and night fell as a solid raining of impossible things

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    1. Thank you Vandana - so very much appreciated that I touched you :)

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  3. Those fragile clear moments when everything shifts… my heart goes out to the young soul who remembers this.

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    1. Aww thank you Laura - yes there are such moments - this one came to me whole :)

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  4. "reedy voice small"....I can see her in the darkness. So poignant.

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    1. Thanks Sherry - I do always get the feeling that you can 'hear' my words

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  5. It always is a wonderful reading here.
    ZQ

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  6. Wow! Your blackbird wings present a frightening image. The ending is sad, and it makes me want to know more of the story. Beautifully wordled, Pearl.

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    1. Thank you so very much Brenda - the song was playing in my head for a while but then this completely different scene arrived...

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  7. So much I read into your story poem that I read.. a little girl left like that one cannot cease to wonder what has really happened... I read sinister things ...

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    1. Aww Bjorn - thank you for seeing much in my words - I very much appreciate your close reading and stopping and commenting

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  8. Normal taking flight is terrifying..as are those images alone in a nightdress. on the dark porch..the cold metal of the swings instantly resonated as well..not everything in the playground is happy or fun..

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    1. Thank you Jae - and yes for me the idea of normal taking flight was deeply disturbing

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  9. Beautiful, yet completely terrifying!! Bravo!

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    1. Oh my goodness - I deeply appreciate your comment and your "Bravo!" Thank you so very much.

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  10. Scary scene! It contains all the elements of a childhood terror and shows that when the light goes out (to a child and some adults) so does the hope.

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  11. You know how to shine a light with a broken porch light! This is brilliant!

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    1. Awww Walt - thank you for reading , stopping and your comment - oh boy "a brilliant?!" Deeeeply appreciated and delighted you enjoyed .

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  12. In fact, "meant to be" becomes the myth and the unexpected the norm. I much prefer, forever, patterns so deep you can take for granted that someone will change the light bulb, electricity and WIFI will work, water will come when I turn on the tap. I know few of us have that certainty.

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  13. Dear Susan - thank you for stopping - I very much enjoyed your comment - and do agree in part - the tension and implied end of innocence in this poem is the moment of the child's awareness that her certainty has vanished.

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  14. How clever of you to allow us to indulge in our own imaginings; the broken home, shattered lives, the only hope the uncertain danger of darkness outside and life changing irrevocably. Wonderful.

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    1. Aww ... you read it as I wrote it ... Thank you so very much appreciated :)

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  15. "she called reedy voice small but no one came – no one but night" I like that line PKP, again a well told story of innocence lost your words paint a very vivid picture..

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    1. Thank you so very much Tatius - yes a story of lost innocence ..

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  16. I found this somewhat scary and threatening as well. Brings back childhood memories of being left alone in the dark. Not a pleasant experience,

    Elizabeth

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    1. Aww a mixed blessing - humbled to have written something that resonates and apologies if I resurrected an unpleasant experience

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  17. I read this in the bright morning sunshine, yet it sent shivers down my spine. I felt so much sympathy for that child.

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    1. Awww Viv.... thank you for reading and your terrific comment - So very very much appreciated :)

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  18. "as it was meant to be" clearly hints at sarcasm, and perception; the way we see things and the unseen effects operating in our lives nice write

    much love...

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    1. Thank you Gillena - for your careful reading, your astute comment and simply for taking the time to stop on by :)

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  19. Pearl, I was terrified of the dark when I was a child. One day my father told me there was more to fear in the daylight. I see he was correct. Nice read.

    Pamela

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    1. Awww Pamela - yes little girls and darkness and wise fathers... Thank you for reading and your delightful comment :)

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