Amid Vanishing Darkness

Gyrating night cedes to a whimper, as
the stars flicker like dying lightbulbs.

The air bites cold- as do you.

But as the night sloughs into dawn,
bald wind is embroidered

with the velvet warble of birds,
and I forget you for once.

About time.

But then, as birds warble
amid vanishing darkness,

darkness dissolving
before dawn’s beams,

well, I’m back to remembering,
to honouring your perpetual shadow.