Waking Bodies

The wildest dances break out
In the stillest hours.
As the bodies are all resting,
Something leaks in from without;
Explosions!

Flying fine flesh, on fire,
Flails in the moon,
And all the tides reverse!
The still lagoon stages a chaos
Of dancing!

Alarms—vile, clangorous and cruel—
Dismay the dancers, dispel the dream,
Disperse the dreamers
In a deadly beautiful morning call
To arms, legs,
And the broken rest.

A.H. Jessup
San Diego
6/27/2012