The Sun Shines Down

the sun rose, spread like marmalade jam on the horizon
high above the stars fought for air, begged to remain glorious in an azure sky
fizzled out as velvet night abandoned them

down below the knight-errant extricated himself from the sticky light
took shape not as the hero, but as the mad old fool who didn’t even have windmills to battle

or maidens to save

exacerbated by the heat, the non-hero falls from his steed

left with broken dreams
as the sun, now low and tempting as lemon butter above the ridge
shines down on him

© 2010 Christian Berntsen. All rights reserved.
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About the Author

Christian Berntsen resides somewhere on Long Island, where he writes his manifesto and is learning to live. His poetry has appeared in Clean Sheets.