Villanelle for Dawn

William Adolphe Bouguereau's "Dawn", circa 1881

 

Wake Me

Night’s indigo legions rise to fall each night
this sleeper’s eyes grow heavy with gloaming
Yet Dawn’s promise thrills my dreams, fills my sight

 

Wake us from dreaming to hope-born delight.
Star riders on dream-steeds, we go roaming
to hunt Midnight from rise to fall each night

 

amid night’s empty spaces, ‘tween stars’ light
and angel nebulas to sky’s foaming
birth. Dawn’s promise thrills our dreams, fills our sight—

 

Oh gossamer Eos, bless us with your light
lest our hearts grow dull, succumb to the gloaming,
fall to night’s indigo legions, to Night

 

Oh gossamer Eos, queen of hope and light,
wash in your dew this bitter dream! Combing
in Dawn’s promise of thrills and dreams, fill our sight

 

Eve is natural, the end of days is no blight,
yet we fear day’s end, clinched in Death’s loathing.
Night’s indigo legions rise to fall each night,
yet Dawn’s promise is thrills to dream and fulfilled sight.

David M Pitchford
5 August 2008

This is a draft of a villanelle.