Bark (Poetry)

See how the slanted light
picks out its form —
fingers every rib
and fractured plane
exposing roughness —
lets the eye perceive
the random patterns
ragged, shadow-edged
a scarred and scoured
erratic patchwork skin
flaked with colour
changing in the sun
then muted by slow dusk
when air’s a soft grey layer
smoothing down the bark
for moon’s new texture.