God Blows a Message

Edward Sapir

Through her gaunt cheeks and sunken eyes
 God blows a message
Delivered at the first sunrise
 Of a forgotten age.

Her fingers point not truthfuller
 To evanescence
Than the soft planetary whirr,
 Eternity's pretence.
The soul that disarranges hair
 Puts out the firefly-
And strewed the stars upon the air
 And gave them word to die.