School of Night

The Elements

A small flame flings itself about,
a wittering, an astronaut,
riding the kindled air above
the burgundy chrysanthemum.

The flame, the red, the window's view,
are the locus, fine netting for a haul
of happiness in a peopled room --
but mind is more than merely eye.

Mind is also fingers, primed
at once to manoeuvre, and move.
Include, then, that beat-up bicycle outside,
in the failing evening.

            Anne Rouse, from The School of Night

I ordered this book a year ago.  It seems the author was dissatisfied with the original manuscript and started over (that's my inference from the delay in publication date).  The book arrived late Friday -- dog (as part of his on-going effort at deception) barks noisily at about 6:30 (pretty dark here at that time at this time of year).  UPS man appears and hands the book over.  A very nice surprise, as I did not realize the volume was now in print.  .

The deception is that dog thinks we do not know that he regularly opens the gate for UPS man and USPS woman.  When spied in the act, he tears off for the back of the house and the re-appears.  He refuses to open the gate for us, and pretends not to know how.