We live by breath Stars by fire Hands grow still Light climbs higher THE LIGHT WAS ALREADY COMING Before our names One brief crossing The stars remain Old astronomer Gave the boy his chair One last star One last hour Cold brass Whale-oil flame His old hand shook Writing the name Old light Young eyes One clock Two lives Star moved slowly Toward the wire Watch the glass Call the hour Write what moves Not what heaven means Star comes close Boy holds still Clock counts on THE LIGHT OUTLASTED THE HAND Boy still made the mark THE LIGHT OUTLASTED THE MAN Ink held in the dark Old light New hand Clock kept counting Star passes. Years in, light out Breath in, frost out Boy watched close Old man coughed Pendulum kept count His old ink thin Boy’s new number shook Star touched wire Boy called time No answer came From the chair ONE BREATH STOPPED ONE CLOCK MOVED ON One tear fell Fresh ink spread Wiped the page Wrote instead The hour, the place The star, the name Life ended Work remained THE LIGHT OUTLASTED THE HAND Boy still made the mark THE LIGHT OUTLASTED THE MAN Ink held in the dark Old light New hand One mark beneath the last Their names went down Light went on
