Frost at Dawn

When did it come?
Powder white from
Night’s long journey.
(She has left us many gifts;
Frosted ground-swords from that
Cold land, Dark;
And crystal branches hung out
Like clotheslines
To catch the Dawn.)
Trees drape the morning along their brightly twigs
And there are frozen stars in my window.

How did it happen?
For I had always thought grass was green,
Bark was brown, and
Water rippled.
But how clever of you, Night!
Who am I to say grass is green,
Bark is brown, and
Water ripples?
Who am I to know?
This world is jeweled;
These wild blades
Are every shade of a pastel sky
Saffron, shelly pink and sea.

Glow-limbs drip
With painted light
And from the canvas of the Night
Has Dawn brought forth her art.

Creation of a
A frozen breath
Caught forever in
Life and
Death.

Night is gone, and her gelid phoenix bursts forth.