Against the Night

We are the lay of the land—
pocked, hilled, knowing every ember
and seed imprinted on our bones.

Alone and together we, all paling petitions,
move forward on the ash road
hungering to be reawakened

By some whisper
spoken in a mother tongue
we think we used to know.

In the end there is the keeping on
toward hosannahs not yet shouted
up against the night.

Belle Fox-Martin is a United Church of Christ licensed minister in western Massachusetts.