it is such night

the moon is away

eyes plunge utter deep

dark amplifies every breath

if you concentrate

on not looking

at where you know the orchard is

you will detect the apples

faintest greyest levitating orbs

neither reflecting nor emanating

what shall we call it?

        glancing just alongside to give them form

            like you do for the onlyjustvisible stars

                a tiny bird you don’t want to startle

                   or that word on the very tip of your brain

                       and only when you think about something else

it suddenly lands on your tongue

[the most sensitive cells live at the periphery of the eye]

you know how in dreams

if you look directly at a person you miss   

their face dissolves or morphs into something strange

[astronomers’ averted vision]

it’s OK I have learnt now

how to look away to be able to see you