All night waking to the sound
of light rain falling softly 
through the leaves in the quiet
valley below the window 
and to Paula lying here 
asleep beside me and to 
the murmur beside the bed 
of the dogs' snoring like small 
waves coming ashore I 
am amazed at the fortune 
of this moment in the whole 
of the dark this unspoken 
favor while it is with us 
this breathing peace and then I
think of the frauds in office 
at this instant devising 
their massacres in my name 
what part of me could they have 
come from where they made of my 
loathing itself and dredged from 
the bitter depths of my shame