Ten Moons

And then came the ten moons
Full in the sun’ s glare, and the seraphim,
And it was light all night in the orchards
And on the plains and even in the towns
And mankind rejoiced, because it was now the case
That the wrecking and equivocating could carry on
The pale night long. Mankind rejoiced
And went forth to those places twelve hours of light
Had not made it worth the while to despoil
And gamboled collectively on the cliff tops
And regarded the night-broiling of the sea
Hitherto forbidden, but now opened in festival.
Half the world’ s time unpeeled and exposed
So fruit might ripen faster and trees flourish higher
And forced photosynthesis green all the land.
Then night ramblers, night-sun-worshippers,
Night-motorists fanned out and made the most
Of spectral light, which bleached out stars and even
The cozy old moon herself, who had
Once held a sickle broadside to the sun, and now
Was a hollow daytime shadow.
Only a few old believers slept
Hand in hand, shoulder to breast,
As if their lives depended on it, knowing yet
That the morning would bring nothing
Because the day knew no beginning
And had no end.