Queen of the night
whose reign began
before
always before
mother of how
the story goes
song older than singing

you sweep up my footsteps
how did I find my way here
now there is no way back
you blow my words away
without my hearing you

you erase the faces
even of the living
you travel backward
wherever you are going

taking the days with you
all of them
even the ones I imagined
were safe forever

sovereign of terrible freedom
O you without feature
and without end
whose face I never see
or never remember
how can I love you

except when you appear
for a moment wearing
the veils and the long train
of memory

disguised as memory
the queen of the day