DAWN

Out this morning, early,

six-ish, for George’s

pee and poop walk.

Westward, the moon,

high in the sky, and bright,

and nearly round. I’d not,

I thought, mind a walk

up there, if managed

without fuss: the rockets,

the space suit, the lunar

landing module. Just me

and George, and a glance

back at our footprints

in the silver moon dust.

Meanwhile, to the east,

the first glow of sunrise.

Thin slips of high cloud,

pink-ish, ready for the dawn.

Grateful for all this

beauty of the firmament

we make our way back

home, the two of us, ready,

if not yet quite resigned,

for another earthbound day.