mountain light

So far north, the winter sun is
   only just cresting by midmorning
moving to its apogee just barely
   clearing the mountaintop
the ever-changing wash of gold
   slashing across white snow

low it stays and stays and stays
    blowing snow descends, shrouding
the summit, the sun drops down
   dipping us into the inkwell of night
and it is morning
   and evening the first day

Liz McFadzean