There is no dusk to be,
There is no dawn that was,
Only there’s now, and now,
And the wind in the grass.

~ From ‘An Eternity’ by Archibald Macleish (1892-1982)

***

Orange sunset
in the deep shell of summer
a long silence reaching
across the dry pastures
in the distance a dog barks
at the sound of a door closing
and at once I am older.

~ ‘Ancient World’ by W.S. Merwin (1927-2019), from The Moon Before Morning.

***

The fire in leaf and grass
so green it seems
each summer the last summer.

The wind blowing the leaves
shivering in the sun,
each day the last day.

A red salamander
so cold and so
easy to catch, dreamily

moves his delicate feet
and long tail. I hold
my hand open for him to go

Each minute the last minute.

~ From ‘Living’ by Denise Levertov (1923-1997)

What is more precious
than mere breath?
A red ladybug
opens its wings
and turns and turns
on a rose-petal, and
in that moment
the Earth is song again
and I am the one
who hears it.
I am the only one.

~ ‘Red Ladybug’ by Wallace Fong

***

I cried over beautiful things
knowing no beautiful things lasts.

~ Line from ‘Autumn Movement’ by Card Sandburg (1878-1967)