Dan Williams

Eight Thousand Sunrises

Was wetted by a different kind of rain

when I turned twenty three;

though wind driven sideways angle to it,

it fell straight down on me.

Soaked as I was, I soon realized

eight thousand sunrises had shone on me.

 

Before that year the facts are murky.

Forgotten or been struck blind

by tables topped with fresh poured drinks;

fear of what I might find.

Fear that what I think I have now

is the same as what I left behind.

 

Empowered now, too late, with bifocal logic,

that sees right through sunshine or cloudpain,

I am no longer impressed by weather’s mood,

do not respect it as I should.

Each past day gets twice replayed again,

just with a different kind of rain.

 

I thought with time I would not drink alone,

I thought I would not somehow fail to see.

Forgot to wind the proper clock and now

fifty thousand suns have shone on me.