The City Sleeps Poem by Emmanuel George Cefai

The city sleeps; but the light laze
On
The streets are still save for
The occasional passing
Vehicle.

The waters dance
Fount silent
In the night
Disappears in the dawn
When the nocturnal shrieks
Of the grasshoppers cease
And crickets amorous.



The nightingales
Ah! they sung long ago
At the rim of dusk and of
Night:
But now command still
Silence,

The waters dance
Fount silent
In the night
Disappears in the dawn
When the nocturnal shrieks
Of the grasshoppers cease
And crickets amorous.



Zeus opened a window
In his palace:
Saw below
The night
The sleeping Earth
The lazy lights
And yawned and
Closed the window.



The waters dance
Fount silent
In the night
Disappears in the dawn
When the nocturnal shrieks
Of the grasshoppers cease
And crickets amorous.


Casual lines
Not melodramatic
Nor overtly romantic
Not particularly flowing
Yet
Set piece after set piece
Of wine and beauty
Yes!