a tulip waits  
in the silence
before daylight   

a river's roar rises 
from the heart of darkness  

the yellowed keys  
of a vintage steinway  
gather dust   

songs of yesteryear 
seep through cracked windows 

a sparrow feather 
stays aloft 
in the summer sun  

barely a breath  
the stillness  
of a deer  

child lying slain  
by a father's gun  

the echo  
of an ancient tale 
now so real  

from the belly of leviathan  
he slouches toward ninevah   

sunset fire  
its hour comes round  
in the end   


Clayton Beach 
Hansha Teki