Sacrifice © 08 Sally Warrell

Late at night
When the windowpane turns black
Come the summer brides
Sad soft bodies
In tobacco brown dresses
And straight away they want out

This glare was not the one they wanted
They wanted the moon

Shimmy up the glass
In a blur of wings
Fall into water
And stick like petals
Cannot be lifted
And even if dried
Will die

Putter out their
Brief lives
While I watch
Helpless