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IV

27 February
              the cold came

              not the silence
              for

                          in the heavy air
                          of winter nights

                                         the sounds
                                         propagate
                                         unhindered

whilst the years have become our measure of time

             in nervous nature
             the return of the full moon

             on top
                           of our bed
                           of the clothes line
                           of the Mah-kee-nac Lake

             puts an edge on the dissonances

             an expression of doubt
             a sign of impatience

                          invisible thread so many times
                                                                            taken up again
                                                                            made tight
                                                                            broken

there is a pond
             whose surface remains frozen
                          on the shadowed side

             some clouds
             a breath-mist
             the invention of glass

                          and you
                          E C H O

                          nymph, naked
                          before the fire
                                             (but the photograph
                                              is blurred)

                                              and the answer
                                              does not come

insomnia of the blackbird
            sighs & sobs

                        & NOT EVEN
                         tears
                                              but

                                              fatigue
                                              a trace of smoke
                                              two willows
                                              the empty basin

however, day approaches

in the lighter air
             I remember :

19 March
             dawn
             your pale smile
             love
                        then
                        we fell back to sleep

                                         despite
                                         the morning sun
                                         outside