The Awakening of Aurora

          -Appalachian Nocturne

Asai

 

 

        I

 

  The wind on the summit is unmistakably alight-

and see now: frozen debris sparkles,

as serpentine and like a ghostly backbone

descends, parting bristle pines with fierce rattle.

 

  A cabin crouches by the holler-

mist hovers stealthily in circles against' the walls.

Spiders quit their webs and shrink in cracked timber

Dust quakes. Flakes float from the ceiling,

some fall on the floor where a maiden lies blank-eyed

stretching painfully over bed sheets.

 

The wind, in veil of a breeze,

slips through the window determinate

and hisses, and funnels between her jerking lips.

 

        II

 

Her tongue:

red-carpet for the nocturne aesthetic-

rhymes: stepping from benighted rosaries

with deitic dose for intimacy-

 

rhymes: coming to free visions

from earthen slumbering- key rhymes:

opening warm petals for the wild pistil lead

of her edenic seed.

 

        III

 

  Gliding to the garden:

Aurora distilled in water...

The moon at play with ripples...

Flames glowing around her...

Awake, she blushes:

Fauna and flora a' dancing

 

  A new constellation for dreams streams sequined in clouds,

brushing its silver with the needles of the evergreen

and setting bright canopy across the sky:

 

  Aurora spread crisp wings in wanton flight

and swirl decaying stars to trail behind you.