After The Eclipse

one from the archives

As shadows fall on attic walls

when sleep has lost all sense of time,

a view of moody ink blue sky

through angled plate glass where I lie,

alert though restless in my room.

At speed, cloud islands hurtle by,

a trail that splits the night in half.

Between their smoke-like dark grey veils,

see spangled sight of seven stars,

a plough suspended from afar.

Polaris winks as if to say

we are at rest, you've had the best.

Sun, moon and earth aligned and gave,

a diamond ring, a fine display.

A clever moon eclipsed the sun,

deserted him to then move on.

Reviews

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

Chris, your style of lyrically beautiful and graceful verse always puts me in mind of the work of Emily Dickinson. This eloquent, celestial observation in first person proves my point. Brilliant rhyme, cadence, personification, alliteration, metaphor...Your second verse leaves me in awe.... ahhhh one hundred perfect ”spangled sight of seven stars” for this master class poem! Kudos my gifted friend.

[Chris Shaw]

Annette I am so happy you liked this one. You are so very generous with your praise. I thank you.read moreAnnette I am so happy you liked this one. You are so very generous with your praise. I thank you.

Chris

[Neville]

.. You have such a way with words our Chris .. indeed, you make darkness shine .. Neville

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you my friend. I remember this one well. An eclipse of the sun. And I saw the diamond ring too. Quite special it was. I appreciate you.

Chris

[Neville]

and likewise very importantly reciprocated.

Neville

[Patricia Wedel]

dear Chris... spangled sight of seven stars.., is
only one line that is so classic The Angels sighed
and went around and over the rainbow, and so did I... tenderly, Pat

[Chris Shaw]

Dearest Pat, please forgive the late response to your beautiful review. Many thank yous.

read moreDearest Pat, please forgive the late response to your beautiful review. Many thank yous.

Chris

[Patricia Wedel]

Never too late to visit ... we all have a zillion things to handle. I must write your poem in my Journal... so special and amazing. Gently, Pat

[Chris Shaw]

Pat, you have made my day :) Thank you so much.

[Roland Petrov]

I'd like to see some more from your archives! What a gorgeous description of the night sky with an eclipse thrown in like a Christmas present.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you so much Roland for giving this old poem an airing. I really appreciate that. Plenty of poems in my archive on WC. Must be getting on for four hundred now.All good wishes to you.

Chris

[Jimmy Yetts]

Not merely a word-painting, a word-movie!
Astronomically accurate and artistically rendered.
Admirable craftsmanship, poetess!

[Chris Shaw]

Dear Jimmy, my apologies for not thanking you for your lovely review given five months ago. Better late than never. All the best.

Chris

[R.E. Ray]

I much prefer your bedtime images to mine, Chris... and certainly more than the sheep we read about. I might raise the blinds tonight and look for a few stars.

[Chris Shaw]

Always good to look at the night sky. Thank you for checking this one out.

Chris

[gram linski]

a great poetic tale of interstellar dancers, you always seem to write with gusto and passion, another fine example, I do like a bit of moon gazing, meself,

[Chris Shaw]

Many thanks gram, a visit from another moon gazer much appreciated.

Chris

[TheJordBaker]

This is just so beautifully written. Majestic. I think that pretty much sums it up.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Jordan for such a generous review. Much appreciated.

Chris

[nazia]

Marvelous poem. Beautiful, eloquent and observant at the same time... Your description of the eclipse especially in the last verse is phenomenal.. one of the best poems I have read today..:)

[Chris Shaw]

Dear Nazia your generous review delights me. Thank you so much for your visit. All good wishes.
read moreDear Nazia your generous review delights me. Thank you so much for your visit. All good wishes.

Chris

[Dave]

Chris - this is so beautiful. I too love to sit on my deck in the backyard and revel in the beauty of the night.
When I was a teenager and lived down the shore, to sit on the beach and take in the sounds of the waves and the blinking of the stars was a wonder to behold and enjoy. The icing on the cake of course was when there was a full moon sending its' beams across the waves.
Take care - Dave

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Dave for your lovely review. A fellow star gazer and how could anyone not like the moon? I can imagine you sitting on your Deck Dave and taking in the gems of the night. All good wishes.

Chris

[Dave]

You too, Chris.

Take care - Dave

[Lorry]

I slept under a skylight as a kid and drifted off to twinkles every night. Even then, they mesmerised me into happynightnightdreamysleeps. My comfort blanket of sky and stars. Those wispy moonlit clouds used to freak me out though, swallowing all the light.
Better than sitting like a zombie watching a screen any day.
Beautifully penned Chris. A unique view of the beauty of night.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Lorry. Twinklies is a gorgeous name for the gems of night. Pleased to meet a fellow star gazer, and I have to agree that cloud islands hurtling through the sky at night can be pretty scary. May you always have that comfort blanket Lorry.

Chris

[Lorry]

I also tell the moon my problems, but rarely if ever howl 😀