Persephone of the Tunnels

Law of midwinter,

Tunnel of the shortest day

Swallowing the light

As Persephone

Descends with Hades, the shrill

Whistle cries for light

Descent to the dark:

Memory of pomegranate

Seeds of the summer

The bridal train goes

Mournfully to the feast, the

Time of rejoicing

The stained place of soot,

Tarnished chimneys, the brickwork

Darkened industry

Dead leaves of autumn

The skirts of forgetfulness

Frozen on the line

How brief the descent,

Whistle shrills forth to summer

To the growing light

The time of ascent,

The sooted angel flying

Through the brick prison

The pillar of cloud

Shrouds the caravan by

Day, the rattling way

Now pillar of fire

Lights the way, enlightenment

To defeat the night