Preamble

Break the glass
that shields morning's flame.
Proceed from your room—


Ferns, once

We awaken in our bodies, again.
Their smooth hurts. Winged, for
the pigeon wakes too, her back
to the City. Mourning dove.


Notes towards an image

Iron ring
copse within.

Leaf // settles
  Jewelling | nowhere
   her    Garnets,
   Emeralds. 

Side aches to unclasp
this constriction,
this leakage
of things–

To want to be in the world,
to want to be of the world.

Crown the jewels
crow Red
all   || Mouth
City as frieze.


Pillar

Ravenful,
haven of claw.
Dawn’s
             fluidsong
dissipates—

Rise up,
      regain
Light —
Dark and down,
My song is more than silhouette.

To bring light,
lightsong,
O
Brightsong,
to soothe my ancient
            sing to pierce the breast.


Soft, the softening rain

Sing to pierce the breast—
Sing to pierce the breast,
      nighthooks brim to split.

Sing to pierce the night—
Sing to pierce the night
-hooks brim to split.

Dawn’s contraction,
slow the opening—
orchis-white         a Yellow 

toned song to loosen the gum 
that holds peony’s ample heart.


      leaf   //  Settles
									
	Jewelling | nowhere
                  her      Garnets	
            tempering | Scarlet
                       on   steel
                       the   Sky— 
                        a   Leaf
                        there 
                          is
                              
    
                                                      Lares

                        Break the glass
                        that shields morning's flame.
                        Proceed from your room—

pause–

I am night (dark)     afraid
begin now, begun     my 
mourning for what was–
(not) slaked by light’s coming
The lares of my house is
twice-lit:  dawn’s advent,
night’s candle.




Copyright 2020 The Lares series by Chris Murray 
First published Indelible Literary Journal
PDF download https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3A05d41b1f-bcd4-45b0-a75f-fc6e26fced00
This series was dedicated in gratitude to Eavan Boland 1944-2020