Dawn creaks open, br splitting sky br with painful slowness; br sun sears the clouds, br all candyfloss, br to wisps br that cling, br burst bubbles, br on the cheeks of heaven. br Mixed metaphors abound br on moon day mornings; br week end endings, br week beginnings br as we struggle br from the haze of dreams, br of sex, of alcoholic stupor, br to shape the armour br we will wear today br to hide our fragile hearts, br to face the monsters br now demanding br our attention. br Work and Duty br call us through br a tangled maze of tunnels br hurling soot and noise; br bind us up br in metal capsules br rushing through the air br or on the ground br like woodlice br when you lift a leaf br in nature's humming world. br Breathe in, breathe out, br the fragile heart br beats faster, br eyes clear br to see the wonder br of a sunbeam br gleaming on the wingtip br of a bird, edge of a leaf, br the jawline of a son br or daughter, incarnate br beauty everywhere br just shadowed br by the uncompleted blink br as we move br from night to day, br from rest and play br to the tasks br that we decide br to shoulder on our journey.