VERITY

the madrigal, volume iv

Somonka Notes

by allegra silberstein

1.
Alone in the dark
midnight quarter moon wakes me
lights my east window.
Moon flowers cling to the twine
I tied for them when you left.

My walls do not hold.
In the dark of the new moon
my desk lamp’s small light
clings to curtains and pencils.
A white moth flutters nearby.

2.
Stars fall in the sky.
Cricket sings on my doorstep.
You are far away.
I write to tell you of leaves
silver in the bright moonlight.

Here, I do not see
the stars, only city lights.
I remember green.
In the evening pigeons come
to roost here on my rooftop.

3.
Blackberries blossom
now by the path we did not
take and cumulous
hang heavy in the near dusk
threatening rain during the night.

There is a garden
in Brooklyn where cherry trees
shower their petals
like confetti of lost words.
We could walk there together

I heard frogs singing
when I went to bed last night
but am awakened
by the rumble of thunder.
In the dark I hear your voice.

The sun sinks deep red
behind skyscraper outlines
like words unspoken.
My geranium needs water.
I am caught in tangled strings.

llegra grew up on a farm in Wisconsin but has lived in California since 1963. Her love of poetry began as a child...her mother would recite poems as she worked. In addition to three chapbooks of poetry, she has been widely published in journals with a growing number on-line. Her first book of poems, “West of Angels” was published by Cold River Press in March of 2015. In March of 2010 she became the first Poet Laureate for the city of Davis, California serving for two years. Dance is a great love of her life. She dances and performs with Panela Trokanski’s Third Stage dance company. She was accepted in the company in 1994 and now at 91 still dances but has a minor role. She also sings with the Davis Threshold Choir but has not been active this past year because of Covid.