Poem 25

Apr 25, 2016 • 1 min read

This insane form is called a Paradelle, and apparently it was invented by Billy Collins as a wry joke. But I took it seriously today.

We’ve got to ease our way into the light

The negative, balancing between exposed and overexposed

We’ve got into balancing between ease and the light

Exposed to our way, overexposed the negative

Draw back the curtains to welcome a new day

We move soft and slow, squinting sunshine

Squinting to draw back the soft and slow sunshine

New day curtains, we welcome a move

I pretend to sleep while you brew dark coffee

Savouring the foggy threshold of another dawn

Another dark-coffee-dawn, you, savouring the threshold of pretend

While I brew to foggy sleep

Dark-coffee curtains, squinting negative into the light

We welcome a new threshold, exposed soft and slow

We’ve got to pretend–draw back the foggy brew

Balancing between sleep and overexposed sunshine

While I move to the way of the day

Savouring you–our ease to another dawn