When dialogues fail And all that remains is the talk of work or politics The colors fade; the smoldering sparks suffocate Silence that is not comfortable, but strained or accepted Where does the talk of a sky’s light go? The roses at the end of the day or its birth are lost, gone I recall a night of stars, laughter, then awe at Hale-Bopp We were telescoped and researched and the conversation ran around the dark field Until it hit those pines that marked the top of Ridge Road Your body heat mirrored the comet’s and we glowed We could talk a cloud until it surrendered its rain The blades of grass and small button mushrooms knew our voices But calendars fell to refuse and batteries died Time became passing seasons and the graying of our moments together Where does the talk of a sky’s light go? EvaporatioN, DesiccatioN, VaporizatioN, Applewhite and Nettles and dissipation of ponderings in a vacuum