the night the poem became alive

(for martin shaw)

the night the poem became alive
though honey rhymes with sage and bees
we hadn't much for beer or hyssop
because we drank the honey wine

the darkened trail the shimmer star
so lost were we that near became
so far as near the candle wax
and so the night with oaken flicker

red flicker, winged flicker honey wine 
pollen yellow

wing flicker, honey cup, yellow flicker
flicker night, flicker moon
flaming dazzled beer
and pollen yellow day, the next

barefoot stones, shimmer water, 
the day the poem became
alive