Always, there are voices that come,
unchecked
as the sound of water, lapping
in the stone basin of the night fountain

Some magnanimous, as the sound
of father digging potatoes,
or mother shouting you in for supper

Some unnamed, as the recently dead,
who come, when you least expect,
to bring you moonstone and memory

Always, there are voices that come
from the trunks of trees,
and their voices are always most troubled

Now distant, as siblings, old friends

Norfolk Hawker

Southern Damselfly

Image credit:Clément Falize

Mark A. Murphy is the editor of online journal, POETiCA REViEW. His poetry has appeared in over 250 magazines in print and online. He is the author of 7 full-length collections including "The Ruin of Eleanor Marx" due out in spring 2022 from Moloko Plus in Germany.

The boutique poetry pamphlet "Sea Wake & Some Last Poems" with Milner Place and Mark A. Murphy was also published by Moloko Plus in 2021