the night is

now without

its beasts and creatures -

alone and flat and

silent.

we followed

the ringlets

and kinks of smoke 

over the horizons

into the darkening

north.

a lorn north,

with no south -

no longer.

as the ash

like a tepid

choking snow fell

in sinuous arcs and parabolas 

through the gloam -

it fell upon our heads 

and into our eyes;

into rivers;

mudding the hills and fields -

we sloughed through it

and no one spoke.

no one had the courage

to utter those useless 

words amongst the

smoldering remnants

of trees.

not one of us said goodbye -

unconvinced of this

or any other end

as if this newfound silence 

would somehow keep 

each of us 

from our own 

little annihilations

and let our hearts -

finally -

take rest in the 

night.