Prayers at dawn

                                      on the hill a tree
                 on the shore a fringe of trees
      on the lake an island
           on the island dead trunks like sentinel chimneys
at the waters’s edge a village trying to begin again
                    villagers worship a square of light melted from an ice sky
  by morning this will be the memory of a dream held captive in cold sheets
     breakfast will be served on a blue tray
                            pale curtains will open behind the mirrored dressing table the light will blind you
                       the dark will find you
                dressing will strip you of colours
                                        your grey appetite will be served on empty plates
   cold dreams   cold dreams  cold dreams
          this is the day we fall at the world’s edge and pray for all we’re worth
                   prayers for the village to draw a line
                              on the island signs of life smoke
                                            in the lake a second chance
              trees  trees  trees  trees
                                trees on the hill again