Doug Roy, Tip Toes, Cut Paper
When O the Light Is Covered in Ash
Today the light was coated with ash
and yet shone burnt copper petals
of a thorny bush in the cold breathing
of the wintery ice thistlely air
today the light was smothered with ash gray
and yet shone thin black branches
caped in silvery encasing
ice
today the light was smeared over
with ash
yet shriveled yellow garden flowers
with bent-over hung-dead faces
crackled with white frost
splintering crowns
today the light was – look
the sunlight was blotted over
shrouds of ash hung
over the body
sunlight
yet today
a mother carried her children
one in her arms
across her shoulder and breast
the body small bent
bony
another child she carried cradled in the arms
of the black night dawn
of her womb
they were traveling
traversing along with the crowds
or progressing through the church
praying the Stations of the Cross
they were migrating toward some new
land
forever a new light
searches for the dawn
_____________________
Michael Mannerowski