Dawn ~~ anna hood

When the earth's face is still marked
with sleep I'll come stealing the night
glazing crimson the Earnescliff Hills
blazing the marsh grass
at the mouth of the river.
At the pool
where the horse chestnut preens
under her flaming candelabra
of ivory blooms a heron wades
bows his head to me. Cows kneel
in my warmth. Along the tumbled down
fence morning glories
show me their throat and in yards
green as new peas
peonies relax their pink fists.
I wake the osprey the gull and the trout
shimmer the bay silver
stalk the shadows under the blue spruce
send the owl with her white breast
home on silent wings to her brood.
The field mouse offers up a naked child.

Crawl out of your tangled nest
of down - you were young once -
leave your aches and pains
your fallen arches, bleeding gums
your thick waisted body
and meet me in the meadow
when the cock crows.
Leave your undreamed dreams behind
your despairing thoughts your forgotten goals.
Kick that old hound to the foot
of your bed. Leave the sheep
streaming sleep walkers
to ply the Milky Way
and meet me.

I am a new day.