The Fear

There was fear in all our hearts when the lights went out
Darkness fell and stayed with us for days weeks months
that we no longer knew if light would ever return to us
We adjusted to the absence of light as best we could
Many nights or at least I assumed were nights were rest
less I could only sleep in fits and bursts Uninterrupted
rest was something that felt as much a fading memory
as the Sun at high noon Heat too became rarer with the
passing of time Every day felt colder When the rains
began to fall it felt as though chilled liquid glass were
pelting the world What had we done to deserve a cold
world without light We became sicker more often and
crops began to wither and die Our people began to die
in greater numbers and we were no closer to knowing
the cause of this profound absence One day while in
the brief arms of rest I was startled awake by a young
boy who began running through the camp yelling for
everyone to look up Heads began to turn upward to
the towering darkness that had been lording over us
In the distant horizon light began to emerge piercing
through this night It grew more and more powerful
until at last the sky was filled by nothing but light

through all darkness

days darkened by the dimming of hope
nights long and unforgiving
cold winds driving warmth
from our bodies
can there be surrender
must we continue onwards
yes yes yes
darkest night will break
a beaming pinhole of light
shining through
becomes the beacon
we have awaited

Life exists within you
through all darkness.

If not for darkness
How would we know the dawn?

Midnight in a City Without Light 

Moving Light

Accelerating through darkness
Lights only illuminate
A few feet in front of me at a time

My foot stays steady on the gas
The fatigue of a late night drive
Begins to burrow into my marrow

Everyone else sleeps through 
Dark and passing miles
A moving point of light aloft

On an endless black sea
I dare not close my eyes
Fifteen more miles 

How far down the cave must we travel
before our light is extinguished
and we have to admit losing our way?

Brotherhood of the Black Moon

He cruised north on Vista Del Mar with the Pacific
flanking his left side. Wind tousled his hair. The music
was off. All he could hear was the waves on the beach
and the tires over the asphalt.

As he neared his destination an airplane flew overhead
from the nearby airport. Briefly, he looked over and saw
its form buried in the dark skies. He slowed and pulled
over as he came to a stop.

In rapid succession, the headlights and engine were killed.
A car sped past. He could feel it's velocity through the
sudden shudder of the car. The lights of oncoming traffic
blinked into the darkness and barreled close and away.

There was no reason for him to be there this late. He didn't
want to be home. There was nothing in his room and at
least here he could listen to the waves and let his mind
forget about itself for a few moments.

His phone buzzed and the screen lit up. It was a text.
"At the Black Moon having a drink. Drop by."
He wrote, "Sure. Be there in 15." He turned the key
in the ignition only enough to turn on the stereo.

A loud cymbal crash followed by rumbling toms
and the clattering of percussion beating through the
speakers. From the first note he knew it was "A Night In
Tunisia" by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers.

He turned the key and the engine awoke. There were
no cars in either direction. A quick u-turn over the
solid double yellow lines and he was headed south
towards the Black Moon.

He needed the company. He needed the drink.
What a day. What a week. Wayne Shorter's sax
cut through the wind as the two sounds intermingled
to create a new voice.

What kind of night would it become? It didn't matter.
How could it? Eventually he lost track of the waves,
the road, as though nothing but he and that song existed.
His company was anticipated. He hurtled forward

until the mild suburban facade of the area showed
it's face again, and when it did, how he longed to rip
the skin from it. At last, the Black Moon came into
view. There was nothing to be won or lost.

Keeping the Light On

I felt the light switch toggle
back and forth
in my mind as I was running.

The darkness shifted behind
my eyes as I moved
under the afternoon sun.

I let it switch on and off and
on and off until
it reached the on position.

A self-correcting problem
that comes
and goes at it's leisure,

I don't have it figured out,
though, I'm not sure
there is anything to figure out.