A Dyad

a Canberra sun & moon

I. Sunset

The sunset, bright as an orange on a summer’s day
is already fading
being displaced by the twilight blue
which fades into midnight black.
But the orange fire lingers still –
the great ball has vanished from my view
but its flames still kiss the shining lake.
Overhead, a solitary star waits:
Impatiently. For friends. Much like me.

II. Lifecycle

A new moon hangs over the Treasury Building.
Backlit, its edges gleam silver but its face is dark.
As the week passes I’ll watch it grow.

First the Dreamworks crescent
where a boy fishes for memories
of his absent parents with his old man’s line.

Next comes the geometric semi-circle
perfectly aligned north-south
to guide our teenagers safely home.

Then follows the mature oval,
it lights my night-time climb to the stars
as it drifts through the endless sky.

And every month we arrive at perfection:
journey complete, the full moon commands attention
as no cloud can hold its light back.

I drink in the sight, my life on pause,
as I contemplate this ancient rhythmical wonder.

David Haines lives in Canberra. He has been interested in words and their power all his life. His poetry deals with the natural world, reflecting his deep appreciation for the environment. He enjoys reading poetry aloud, unleashing the power of the author through the spoken word.

Readers’ original and unpublished poems of up to 40 lines can be emailed, with postal address, to [email protected]. Submissions should be in the body of the email, not as attachments. A poetry book will be awarded to each accepted contributor.