Moon Of Dawn Poem by Felix Bongjoh

(i)

Dim and rusty
moon of dawn
dropping off

feathers to preen
itself clear of dust,

night's thickening
brush sticking out
a taupe handle

to prod and sweep
off every smudge,
every soot speck

and pinprick
of fossil and every
dot of fog night,

let me shine
the dahlia torch
with its
thousand scoops
and ladles

to scoop out
every stain,
every melting
wiry piece

of darkness
to open
the wider gate
to a loud-mouthed
sunlight from

flowing flamingo
rays drifting in
with wings to flap

off berry
and merlot petals

from flowers
of a breezy
and windy dawn.

(ii)

Let a torn night
uproot
and fill up
the holes
of mahogany

spots of a flowery
dawn drawing
pink rays
from a far-flung

hidden sun
sticking out cream
hairs, from
its flint nest,

as the croaking light
of a slimmed-
down faded night

skips in with
the gull to stretch
out a wingspan

spraying sprinkles
of a chirping,
hopping flying dawn.

(iii)

Let dawn bring out
the glassy
wings of an insect

to chirp off
a crepuscule
sliding a door,

as drifting
curtains expand
a crack of light

to land
with a big cream
spinning bird,

a broad-winged
silver sprayed
across to scrub off

patches
of mighty mouse
lemurs

still gripping
a beast of moon
by the tail,

its fur melting off
thin moon skin
for flooded

splashes of bouncing
swelling light.