Transit of Mercury II
Mercury makes its steady track across the sun,
as it always does.
After the joy falls back into the stratosphere,
or the concern I had goes back into its cave.
Regardless of the stones I must kick along my path,
whether slowed or not.
Or the storm with its tornadoes cut across the continent
has moved out to sea with only rain and crackles of lightning.
Mercury moves out of the cold night and passes
by way of the sun as it always does, as though
I am the same person who raises his head each day,
to see what’s beyond his orbit, behind the earth’s aura,
and the boy who lowered it for sleep, as the sun you see
passes out there in the darkness as if it were the same,
holds the time I am unable to keep.
Night falls as the sun retreats, this, of course,
has happened before. Clouds advance
just as there were clouds above my head before.
Rain falls softly at first, then steadily,
as if it falls everywhere.
Stephen Cipot
Garden City Park
