against the barn
knew more than he let on
about the mis-
behavior of moonlight.
Years now since men
left the fields to the luck of foxes,
and left the locks
to rust on unhinged doors.
Still, this last artifice,
this final point of order,
the glass tilted
to survey a weather vane,
the tops of sycamores,
and doubled heaven hung
with chandeliers.
— Roderick Townley
Although known primarily as a children’s author (The Great Good Thing, The Door in the Forest, The Blue Shoe, and others), Roderick has published criticism, nonfiction, and two volumes of poetry, Three Musicians (NY: The Smith) and Final Approach (VT: The Countryman Press).
A telling piece skillfully put together.