The western sky is ablaze
This time it's not the brushfire
The sun is pompous
It sees its worshippers and its followers
It must perform one final miracle
Before it retires for the day
Before it surrenders its sky to the lights of heaven
Orange fades into fuchia
Floating particles of water reflect the hue
And spread its glory across the sky
The sky bleeds bright red
As the first light of the Evening Star pierces the darkening canopy
Night is ascending
Shifts are rotated
The eyes of the people of the sun now depend
On the halogen bulbs on the side of the road
But some only see the white light of the guardians of night
Embers die out
A thin streamer of smoke rises from beyond the hills
And then it fades as well
And the Queen Moon and her starry children
Shine glorified in the comfort of the darkness
10-26-97