An orchard of shore trees
precise because of autumn
etches its branches
in the grey silk river
The edge of the sky
fills up with blue and soft sand
A barge bearing lights
like the leaning faces
of motionless immortal sailors
trails behind
a cat o’ nine tails
made of dark chain
punishing the silken water
We never see the river
run blood red
The yellow sun is lost forever
Its loyal sky
is crumbling
like a slow avalanche
into its thickening edge
of soft blue sand
Darkness makes
a home for the world
The serpents
rise swanlike from the water
hurl their narrow tongues
at the iron hulks
of the dreaming tethered ships
If there are humans left like me
along this natural shore
they do not dare cry out
My coat is the colour
of the ruined sky
my fingers
of the soft blue sand