On Day and Night
On Day and Night
Original Text
James Arthur. Charms Against Lightning. Port Townsend, Washington: Copper Canyon Press. 2012
1And as the neighbors' guests retire, coaxing their cars
2into the snow (we're gazing through the curtain
3into winter's pale hub) two girls gaze up. They're all
4going home, like wheels correcting
5into steering hands, or drawn breath returning to the air,
6but you can't come back to anywhere—there's no perfect here
7and there, or now and then—but here we are,
8again. A silverfish crosses the windowpane. We peer
9into the street, and up at the stranded moon: White wheel,
10black field. Black winter, white road. White silence,
11black wind. White cars, black wires.
RPO poem Editors
Jim Johnstone
RPO Edition
2013
Special Copyright
Poem used with permission of the author.