Night-for my friends

Night never falls in England
It just slips and spills some of its darkness over us
But there is always the mess of cheap light 
Cast carelessly into the heavens.
Even in the wilds someone's unwanted light
Dims the noble night
So it holds no terror or visions
It cannot, it is too thin and weak to hide or carry
Any mystery.

But the moon
She brings something magical
Makes the night into a tranquil sea
Over which she sails 
To smuggle pearls and silver from another land
Pearls and silver to grace night's grey cloak

Darkness never really falls in England
But it does fall on some
It fell on me like a snake with gaping mouth
It swallowed me whole
Into the velvet rubber stomach of its night
And here there were 
Visions and terror.
                    Selah
You were like the moon
Very simply, very bravely reflecting the light
Of what was to me, a very distant sun
You caused its light to shine
In cool and steady splendour 
And compassion, in your tears
Which rolled like pearls on tracks of silver
Found me, and made my night rich.
                                                          Wilf 10/2002