After Dark

~

as the sky glooms to dark and

the city’s lights somewhat reluctantly

chance to flicker on one by one,

the west face of buildings glow and

bathe in a marmalade wash from 

the wet burnt orange death of sunset,

~

on cue, we begin to fear the 

opaque intransigence of the dark, 

feeling timid under its debilitating mantle 

where distances shorten, noises acutely keen 

and our confused eyes flit mesmerized, 

~

the dark is blatant, sanctimonious, letting 

us stare at the arrogant dance of its shadows, 

that ridicule and scold our trepidations, 

turning the creatures of the night into 

frightful ogres that mean to do us harm

~

we know bad things abide within the dark,

nightmares foment and stray unleashed

time slows, long-forgotten memories 

swirl on unsure tides, courage fractures

and heroes look the other way

*

© Graham R Sherwood 06/24