Falls heavy and damp.
Shards of rain splinter before the headlights;
The car carries its passengers
Safely through.
In the car park
His spectre emerges;
The dull luminescence of his jacket
Strives vainly to battle the dark.
The car door opens;
Gateway between worlds.
Aliens swathed by the same dark night.
Lives on divergent planes,
Galaxies apart,
Thrust together in the gloom.
Both foes of the dark, wet night.
One has strong allies to fight off that shroud;
The other must fend alone.
The smells of fireside and cooking,
Phantoms of their world,
Swirl, drawing them in;
Pushing the dark night aside.
He remains with his dog
To guard the cars.
The mountain and bush
Are cold carers
A damp cave their only
Supportive offer.
And night’s shroud lurks.
SHARON HEANEY STANSFIELD
See the INDEX TO POEMS to read other poems about life