Morning

If anything like mercy had the controls,
             the sun would switch off. Shakes
                          in the marrow, in a bodhran-heart. I’m

done. Rook-noise borne in on long moans
             off the street. Be still in your swamp.
                          Nerve-ends a garden rake through

the burnt lawn of the sheet. All
             psalms gone, again child again
                          born into the neglect of a world

that won’t pay out into you Welcome.
             Self-sorry and sweating. Only a smidgen
                          left of unused inner space. Slip

chance in — very nearly said grace.