Prudhoe Bay

Prudhoe Bay

Night extinguished by candle

Leave the room, return to the

Hoots of owls;

       Escape out of the chimney

       Leave nothing but soot

Beyond midnight, darkness maimed

I can’t imagine anything darker than

Prudhoe Bay

The blighted light,

The flames of an oil field

Braided with the Universe’s mane

Do you fear the day?

It worries me, night sky.

I worry about it right before bedtime.

Your inevitable death; for in three hours,

       The blossom of sunshine.

Author's Note

artwork: "Missing Alaska" by Francois-Edouard Finet
written in 2012, fixed up in 2017

Reviews

[Corset]

Eosophobia sublimely written for all to understand,
that a bay covered in oil may seem the darkest of times, in the night it may even glisten with the far away lights and become something beautiful.

[alanwgraham]

Good. You have portrayed this benighted place with some great images and expressed the dark mood well.
Well done,
Alan

[Coyote Poetry]

Amazing use of words. You brought me in and you took me in with your strong description. I liked the flow of thoughts leading to the strong ending. Thank you Cole for sharing the amazing poetry.
Coyote