Predawn

In the predawn again, it was

my turn to wake, get up

and attend to the lest we

lose sight of things done since

outrageous circumstance

just declared the buck stops

just here could be crueler than

to let those children catch

boats unaccompanied

(just think, arriving

in Australia by sea: the

audacity!) you, though,

you have imprisoned me,

shackled me to hearth and home

yet set my heart free as never

before I, aye, iron in the fire and

in that predawn pretty sure

no saving idea would come

or tooth appear tooth appear,

aye, ibuprofen, and nothing

or no word or not even nothing

by way of punctuation, no,

the power who will not.