Species of Light

Let’s see how many things come to resemble light, or night.

 

*   *   *

 

Moonface, moonlight, what-have-we-to-fear light. Let’s-not-look-back light. Backlight, stagelight. Light-up-my-life-light. Nightlight. Teeth-of-the-body light. Let-your-hands-not-be-idle light. This-is-not-my-home light. Lights of home still shining. Fluorescent light that looks like moon.

 

The light-shines-in-darkness light. The does-not-understand light. The what-have-we-loved light. The what-we-would-give for this life light.

 

I-want-to-be-out-of-the-city light. This-city-will-not-fall light. Fall light leaving. Leaf light. Leaves-to-clutter-the-hands light. The maybe-I-wasn’t-paying-attention light. The smell-of-gas light. Gaslights on lampposts. Beacons to guide the lost boats.

 

*   *   *

 

The I-dreamed-my-father-was-dying light. The-bus-is-turning-over light. Light at the end of day: citrine light, pink light. The smell-of-smoke light. Tangerine light of evening over water.

 

Rippled light. The I-have-not-forsaken light. The I-will-never-leave-thee-nor-forsake-thee light. Light of all nights. Tender light. The I-have-missed-the-bus-again light. The please-introduce-me-to-him light. Let’s-not-forget-the-broken light.

 

*   *   *

This-is-the-day light. Uncluttered light. If-all-hell-breaks-loose light. River light, the who-will-gather-us-in light. The hit-all-the-lights-wrong light. The hit-all-the-lights-right light. Water-the-shape-of-all-hands light. Bird light the color of sparrows. The bugs-in-my-soup light. Light like butter light. Flickering light like fire.

 

Last light. The I-can’t-stop-writing light. Light of the graveyard, light of the tongue. Silver-throated light. The please-fold-us-in light. The sadness-of-it-all light. Bitter light like lemons light. Smoke-orange-light-like-clouds light. The should-not-be-mistaken-for-clouds light. Desert light. Dashlight.

 

The I’m-tired-of-waiting light. The Come-Lord-Jesus light. The spirit-and-the-bride light. The God-protect-us-all light. The grant-us-peace light. Pieces of light. Teeth-to-be-breaking light. The let’s-not-speak-too-soon light. Light of the earth. Sky light. These-are-our-fingers light. The light that cannot be held light.

 

Light at my right hand, light at my left. Brick light tinting the evening orange.

 

*   *   *

 

The I-want-to-leave again light. The I-can’t-feel-my-toes light. The why-didn’t-I-learn-a-new-language light. The wear-sunglasses-in-the-grocery-store light. The we-understand-each-other light. Light that eludes all understanding. Incomprehensible light. Whose hands are broken light.

 

Light shot through the night with a tail. Light halved by eclipse. Light that will keep thee from harm. Light that watches over your life. Warbling light.

 

The everything-moving-slowly light. The I-remembered-it-wrong light. At-least-we-have-our-life light. The we-drink-you-in light. Light on the tongue like a wafer. Wafer-thin light of winter. Stained light of morning. Silver-throated light like hummingbirds. Dagger-winged gull light. Hawk-floating-above-the-city light.

 

*   *   *

 

Light-from-light light. The-air-that-we-breathe light. The-ground-we-set-our-feet-upon light. This-is-the-day light, and if-this-well-has-water light. The sick-to-my-stomach light. Pink-orange light of sunset. The if-not-this-then-what light.

 

Light reborn, light upended. Light replenished. Light mended and stitched like a skirt. Whose hands are tired light. Light hung on the clothesline. Light pinned to the wall, tied back like a curtain. The light-through-yonder-window-breaks light. The this-is-not-morning-stay-awhile-light. The we’re-taking-the-sunset-apart light.

 

Light unending, unforgiving. Light healing over the wound. Light binding us together. Light tying our hands to each other light. What light issues from your mouth light. How-lovely-are-the-feet light. Light that sounds like drums. That sounds like rain. Rain-beating­-the-darkness-back light. Backlit broken-backed light like a horse in the pasture. Fielded light after a storm. Storm coloring the light purple-black-yellow.  Light-that-whirls-like-a-cyclone-through-the-afternoon light. Light like a halo. Light that is a halo. The moon with its halo of light.

 

*   *   *

 

Light like a field of diamonds, a field of snow light. Let’s-not-remember light. Let’s-tell-it-like-it-is light. Rising light like bread. Baked light. Oven light. Beaded light like pearls.

 

Light-falling-into-one-hundred-shoes-at-once light. The this-is-the-only-life-we’re-given light. This-is-the-bench-that-saved-my-life light. This-is-the-end light. This-is-my-poem’s-end light. This light that must not be confused with drums. The now-I-lay-me-down-to-sleep light. The comfort-me-always light thick like cotton-that-will-hold-me-in light.


© 2022 J.L. Conrad