It was once thought that swallows br wintered on the moon, br or morphed into field mice br beneath the autumn swoon br br of clouds, or slept beneath br wavelets on the floor br of shadowy ponds and lakes br until the sudden lure br br of springtime roused them from br the kingdom of the dead. br Early Christians believed br they swirled around the head br br of Jesus, giving comfort br as he bore his heavy cross, br or they were harbingers br of heaven after loss. br br Today I look above br the eaves as autumn blooms br in the deep well of the sky, br my house’s empty rooms br br echoing only wind, br the memory of their song. br They have flown south for winter, br which here is dark and long.