Song Fragment for April Afternoon

Arto Vaun

The thing with darkness & light is

            they are sinewy, like the honey

inside our bones. I mean to say that

           darkness & light tend to burst so easily

from everyone’s bodies, but no

          matter. Is anyone hurt in here?

Crouched on the unfinished floor,

         crouched against these humming walls,

in the dim tremor-light of April,

         in this lush, creaking terrain, half forgotten,

we become root-flames like our fathers’

        fathers’ fathers—an ancient ache stitched

with fine thread to our marrow.

Boys, in this waiting

         I think I see star-specks flickering

& floating around your faces, like a universe trying

        to form. I mean to say, c’mon boys,

hold steady. I know you are tired.

        We will break into bloom any moment

now.