It’s a new year, but I haven’t changed. I cannot resist responding to awesome poetry. I do hope Mr. Okaji will forgive me taking his name in this vein…
Anchors aweigh, we settle lower in the water
every year we are blessed to yet bob in the night.
Pockets emptied, we cast vestments to slaughter
turn off laundry room light, let them bob in the night.
Emails disappearing, this century’s unvouched for alibi
electronic dog runs away, to chew, bark, bob in the night.
Neither owl nor island, fresh thoughts loom in memory’s murk
half-drowned in self-reflection, they bob in the night.
Your bones, oh smoky altar, are consumed like breath
like breath, their essence left to float, and bob in the night.
This river, carried by the sun, carries a boat carved with runes
these are Anna’s words, waterline eyes that bob in the night.
Ghazal to the Night The sun carries this river to the night. What folly, your mineral dream of power. A stump is neither owl nor island, lifeboat My email disappeared to emerge a year later. Hey, winged smile, describe yourself in colors! This cup, that glass. The song of empty bottles.
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Prairiepomes 
I love this, Anna, and am truly honored! Thank you!
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Reblogged this on O at the Edges and commented:
I’m so flattered that Anna Marie Sewell took the time to do this!
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Well done! I especially like that last line. 🙂
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Excellent, both your’s and Bob’s.
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Reblogged this on Fleeting Muse and commented:
Excellent tribute to Robert Okaji’s Ghazal to the night with another ghazal from the talented writer.
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Glad you liked this – I love Okaji’s work, and I love to play with other poets.
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Great.
I don’t claim to be a poet but I do write sometimes and wrote a few Ghazals. Find that poetry form difficult though.
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Well done!
Bob does inspire, doesn’t he?
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Yup.
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Absolutely delightful! I’m not a forms poet, but in this case I admire the effect of the ghazal … and love your play on “bob in the night”.
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Thanks!
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Lovely Ghazals! Thanks for sharing! I am a Creative Life Coach and have a poetry blog in case you have time to read? http://www.peacockpoetryblog.wordpress.com and I am also on Instagram as #coachingcreatively, let’s follow each other if you use this medium? Have a good day? Sam 🙂
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