Dust Before Dawn

In low light.

I walk between these low lamps as you sleep, the poorwill’s circled notes outside, inviting recollection of endings that preceded this one, and the sound of this space is a single note, sustained in the once noble ruins of this ribbed house of song and sacrament. The stained glass windows that once made a miracle of your face are now clotted with the dust of a decade of storms, and it may be true that there is never time to clean them, but also that I fear the glass has worn to the point that only the dust holds it here, or perhaps that whoever this is, still waiting for the mass, will shatter if those beams should suddenly descend. Again.

Author: Stacey C. Johnson

I keep watch and listen, mostly in dark places.

9 thoughts on “Dust Before Dawn”

  2. Robert Parker – Milwaukee, WI – Hello! Glad you stopped by! My life, so far, in a few sentences: Grew up in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York, closer to Toronto than to NYC. Graduated from Washington College in Chestertown, MD, and M.Sc. from U of Wisconsin. Lived in Hong Kong; Hull (Yorkshire); Williamsburg, Va.; Philadelphia; Pucón, Chile; Boston; now living in Milwaukee. Visited eighteen countries so far and planning to visit a lot more. I'm interested in history, politics and political theory, music, especially Motown and soul, theater, movies, economics, books, poetry, travel, hiking, education, food & cooking, art of all sorts, photography, architecture, hiking, and most of all, people. OK I mentioned food, but ice cream deserves a special mention. And Singapore Noodles. My site is "WaterlooSeneca.com" a/k/a "UpState & Away" All posts are hand-selected, curated, small batch, and artisan-roasted. The darker roasts may hint of acidity, bitterness, and scorched earth, but our house blend is a mug of half-baked monkey beans, pretty mellow, with floral afternotes and just a hint of kerosene and anarchism. No animals were harmed in the making of this blog. Although there is animal testing - - before posting them, I try all my jokes out on the cat. So far, not one laugh.
    Robert Parker says:

    I like how descending beams could have both a spiritual meaning or literal under a ruined church vault. This reminded me of “Bare ruin’d choirs…” and very evocative.

    Reply

    1. Oh, where the sweet birds sang! Robert, thank you for seeing that. I was pleasantly surprised when those beams showed up. : )

      Reply
  3. Daedalus Lex – New Orleans – Favorite painting title: A Hair Pursued by Two Planets, Joan Miro Favorite English word to say out loud: lilliputian Favorite Spanish word to say out loud: pipas Favorite album: Abbey Road Favorite zoo animals: elephant, anteater Favorite advertising slogan: "Drink Barqs. Its good."
    Daedalus Lex says:

    The density made me read twice. And I mean that as a compliment 🙂 Gary

    Reply
  4. Alz Gusta Presents – Alex Gust was born in Spokane, Washington in 1974, the only child of Auri Gust and Bill Spencer. He was raised by his mother, Auri, from the time he was one years old. He has written several screenplays, Blaze, The Unworthy Ones, The Case of the Misophonia Revenge, and The Break Fast Track with his wife, Angela Gust. They went on to make these into short films on YouTube under their production company, Alz Gusta Presents. His areas of focus are suspense, dark comedies, poetry, and women’s empowerment. While growing up, he witnessed the struggles of his mother in a misogynistic work culture and how she has overcome these obstacles. Because of this, he focuses on stories that deal with womens burdens and he aims to shine light on their triumphs in the face of such adversities. Additionally, growing up with dyslexia made learning to read difficult. However, he sees this as a gift that provided him with a different way to see the world. This is reflected in his writings. He lives with his wife in a small town near Olympia, Washington. Alex continues to craft screenplays, as well as poetry. He also spends time creating oil paintings, acting at local community theaters, and making short films with his seven grandchildren.
    Alz Gusta Presents says:

    You create pictures in my mind I’ve never seen before!

    Reply
      1. Alz Gusta Presents – Alex Gust was born in Spokane, Washington in 1974, the only child of Auri Gust and Bill Spencer. He was raised by his mother, Auri, from the time he was one years old. He has written several screenplays, Blaze, The Unworthy Ones, The Case of the Misophonia Revenge, and The Break Fast Track with his wife, Angela Gust. They went on to make these into short films on YouTube under their production company, Alz Gusta Presents. His areas of focus are suspense, dark comedies, poetry, and women’s empowerment. While growing up, he witnessed the struggles of his mother in a misogynistic work culture and how she has overcome these obstacles. Because of this, he focuses on stories that deal with womens burdens and he aims to shine light on their triumphs in the face of such adversities. Additionally, growing up with dyslexia made learning to read difficult. However, he sees this as a gift that provided him with a different way to see the world. This is reflected in his writings. He lives with his wife in a small town near Olympia, Washington. Alex continues to craft screenplays, as well as poetry. He also spends time creating oil paintings, acting at local community theaters, and making short films with his seven grandchildren.
        Alz Gusta Presents says:

        You deserve the highest compliments!!

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