angels in our sky

by jonmichael vermunt

copyright 1998 by the provincial bluefish

contents

spark

burning star

the fog

this town is dead

spark

that cigarette

you threw

out the window

danced in the air

i watched it fall

a red point of light

in the darkness

it hit the ground

& went off like a firework-

dying in one final

blast, one final

spark of light.

burning star

this star

is laughing

is dying

is mad

it comes & goes,

fading & shining

it passes out

on the ground

we watch our worship

come apart

& burn.

time for new gods,

time for new ceremonies.

this star

is laughing

is dying

is burning.

the fog

the fog comes

on the whim of breath

laughs & closes

doors, hangs

insane men.

the fog is here

for you

this town is dead

this town is dead

& darkness comes

out of the crevices

to claim the sky

moths go skipping

around lamposts

their wings opening

& closing like doors

up & down like

a drowning man

surfacing

something is coming

down the road

we hear the beginning

of something new, or the end

of something good.