And So, He Stands Poem by GORDON GILHULY

and so, he stands at this broken
edge of the known world
here in the green glass
glow of sacred sky-fire,
to whistle down the gods
to touch the tears of the sea
with his simple melodies

each sheet of paper that he bears
weighs more than the night

he knows how long the night is
he knows the sound love makes as it leaves

his voice bears his longing
up into the darkness like sparks
his words soft as pigeons brooding
speak of shadows moving
pushed by unseen winds

she, watching the blue of evening
turn velvet, indigo, lingering like an unspoken hope

her beauty the edge of a sharp knife
her hair white as glacier milk
eyes as dark as bruises
on the inside of an arm

her voice in reply
like bending sheet metal