Early Hours

A Thursday Prompt poem
© 2019 by Walter Reimer

Prompt: write a poem



The wind –
A maid, flitting here and there,
Seeking to play the wanton with my hat.
Balked, thwarted, she moves on,
Content to whisper in my receiving ears,
Gently teasing.

The sky –
Numinous and starless, yet not
Wholly dark; city lights limn the clouds.
The wind draws back the misty veils,
Revealing a full moon, luminous and gravid,
Soon to wane.

The land –
Laden with shadows, hiding
From the intrusive beams of streetlights.
Shadows playing tricks upon my eyes,
Whether tree, beast or fellow wanderer,
On their private errand.

My ears –
Perked and alert, searching,
Eager to consume the sounds of the night.
The wind whispers of secrets, trees and
Beasts and other walkers proclaim themselves;
Are they friend or foe?

My paws –
Fingers gripping, flexing, grasping,
Moving constantly like frenetic clockworks.
Shaping thoughts as my mind moves onward,
Grasping now bottle, now flashlight,
Always in motion.

My eyes –
Faster than my feet, pupils wide,
Drinking in the dim light like a thirsty dog.
Searching the shadows, watching the route,
Coaxing images from the darkness
As fodder for my Muse.

My nose –
Tasting, sampling, savoring,
Each breath a book open for me to read.
Scenting tracks and learning the routes,
Gaining knowledge of the others in the dark;
The squirrels are asleep.

My fur –
Stroked by the wind as I walk,
Waving like seagrass on the dunes of my limbs.
Sending ripples of sensation along my skin,
Lewd messages as the wind caresses each hair,
Yet she lies.

My walk –
Brisk and purposeful, stopping
As I vary my pace, pausing here and there.
Checking behind me, side to other side as I
Wrap myself in shadows, smells and sensations;
Five full miles.

My morning –
Coffee in my stomach,
Water bottle in my paw, steadily pacing.
Secretly enjoying my path amid the darkness,
Alone with thoughts and sensations, my Muse
Swelling, fecund,
Preparing to create.



end