NOCTURNE The blade of a knife Is tapped gently on an oak table Waves are sobbing in coves Light bleeds on the sky's rim >From dusk till dawn Petrels fly in from the ocean Wings beating on stone Quick vibrations of notes throats tongues Under silverweed calling and calling Louder cries cut the air They rise from a pit Complaints are retched up and lost A solo tune Is dying with passion For someone out there to come quickly Come back come back I'm here here here This burrow this wall this hole Ach who kept you? where've you been? There there there It's all over over over -- Richard Murphy