Pond. Moonrise. Trees
and domed behind them
night’s uncertain premise:
if it is not the start it
must be the end of day.
The mushroom lifts its veil
signs the protocols of
acting in the world.
The birds anticipate
light by singing for it.
Poem by Giles Goodland
Giles Goodland was born in Taunton, was educated at the universities of Wales and California, took a D. Phil at Oxford, has published several books of poetry including A Spy in the House of Years (Leviathan, 2001) Capital (Salt, 2006), Dumb Messengers (Salt, 2012) and The Masses (Shearsman, 2018). He works in Oxford as a lexicographer, teaches evening classes on poetry for Oxford University’s department of continuing education, and lives in West London.