Sunrise (Poetry)

The night stretched seamless — rolling endless —
the very darkest she had known —
the wind a soundtrack, thoughts sent drifting
their bed abandoned for a chair
beside the window she sat brooding
let the chill invade her bones
stared long and hard into the blackness
for a sign — the clock unheard.

For time seemed stopped — an inner darkness
choked the minutes crawling slow —
her world had shrunk to night’s strange bubble
with one heart beating, lost, alone —
a wanderer with doubts a-plenty
trawling starless miles of sky.

One bedside lamp burned — faking cheerful —
but failed to oust her pain and fear
both stayed like friends to give cold comfort —
inner voices counselled, nagged —
poured every grief to test endurance —
primed her for the hard-faced day.

Shadows crept around to soothe her
cobwebbed old and vain regrets
still as stone, awaiting sunrise
fingering her wedding band
its gold turned dull now, marking absence
weighing heavy on her hand.

Floorboards creaked — her night-ship sailing
and she the one soul left alive
beset by gales of rough emotions
the currents pulled to morning isles
looming closer — shores untrodden —
tattered faith her only guide.

A rip of light on the horizon
shook her from her reverie
as sun edged up the lid to open
a frosted morning’s bright arcade —
and from nearby a blackbird’s singing
floated clear — a choral balm
spread on the waking air — it charmed her —
for that moment sorrow-free.