no larger than a man’s hand
and not even a large man’s
hand at that
dogs howled and howled
all night and day the birds
went silent as if afraid to
sing
there was the occasional
scratch of lightning
usually one thick skein
crabbing its way
between empty road and
captive sky
its announcement an itch on
the eye
that cloud seemed a
judgement
its thick inky presence
seeping
into the streets and
alleyways and homes
murders of crows the only
croaking
sound jabbing the air
electric
with potential the fear the waiting
they sent planes to test
this apparition
that haunted our sleep this imposition
that cloud invaded our
dreams at night
and our conversations during
the day
it felt like a judgement
staring at us
implacably like stone every moment
hovering above us like a
black sun
one day it dissipated on its
own
somewhat
anticlimactically
the dogs stopped howling
the pigeons cooed mice scurried
the roads filled up again
with distractions
until we forgot what it was
to
face our fear and give it a name
