Where the stardust sky kisses the black river
lies the hermit’s hut.

he lives there alone.

sleeping and waking with the tides
soaked in riverine dew
bathed in southerly rain
mellowed in winter’s shallow sun,

without love..

but for his cat

that unbeknown to him
sinks for his love
dying quiet death of dream

in the black river brimming with fish!